Thanks Qawe, I agree. I also think as Orthodox Christians we are called to bless the world and reveal what is beautiful and true.
BTW my past few posts have been a bit fatalist so don't want to discourage or scandalize anyone by them. May God have …
Please ignore my past few posts, especially the fatalist tone of many of them. I read the following on Fr Stephen's blog today and it is the second reminder this week of focusing on the more important things. Prayer, Works of Compassion, Love, Joy, …
But with that being said, we do have a history of adopting methods that eventually become status quo within the Church :s
"In an effort to compete with Protestant evangelical efforts, Coptic clergy organized informal religious meetings and activiti…
There are some Coptic Churches that are trying an adaptation of "The Way Course" which is sort of an Orthodox version of the Alpha Course. It takes it further than Alpha though because it is centered around a meal. The sessions span 6-8 weeks and ar…
Thanks qawe. There are two things which are also interesting to note:
1) Emphasis on Sacred Vs Profane (halal vs haram) dichotomy.
Ie. "Though many Copts resisted formal religious services organized by the Church Missionary Society, informal Bible…
Found an earlier paper by Carolyn Ramzy called "Taratîl: Songs of Praise and the Musical Discourse of Nostalgia among Coptic Immigrants in Toronto, Canada" (2006). Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations. Paper 2125. Access to the paper is av…
Keep in mind that the rules are intended to guide us to restoration and are not intended to be just adherence to a moralistic code. I've heard some Abounas speak about the rules as that prescriptions lead to recovery and they're intended to be appli…
Here's the book in question
http://www.amazon.com/The-Blessing-Blessings-Commentary-Cistercian/dp/0879072156
Dr Roberta Ervine's contributions to modern day translations of the fathers is quite spectacular.
One of our Fathers, St Gregory of Narek, uses the language of motherhood quite poetically.
Dr Roberta Ervine even states that "The image of God as Mother would later be taken for granted by Vanakan Vardapet (1181 -1251) who, in his unpublished Har…
"There is not much to be found in the New Testament concerning the Ascension of Our Lord. Yet the eternal meaning of these few words, the inexpressible wonder and joy of the Ascension to heaven of the Son of Man, are made clear in the liturgy of Asc…
I have grown comfortable to say on these situations "I don't know" when it comes to literal interpretations simply because I feel they are of little consequence to my faith and dogmas in general. I take the allegory more important than the literal,…
Not sure if Toronto is within the Jurisdiction of Eastern Canada.
If I remember some had pointed out that Toronto was declared an Archdiocese (similar to NJ?) so maybe the scope of the new diocese will be east of Toronto, just as the western dioces…
There's another temptation though even with houses of hospitality. If they are implemented with a "top down" or "entitled to poor" approach or if mission is rooted in the desire to proselytize and convert people by our charity.
"Unless you love, t…
It's very interesting that mission and evangelism seems to be a pressing topic at the conference. I wonder if there will be discussion on compassion and works of mercy.
"Houses of hospitality must be built for the poor in every city of every dioces…
St. Peter & St. Paul Coptic Orthodox Church in Montreal
Photos of Church opening on May 9 & 10
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1020737951277156.1073741839.148418458509114&type=1
For French speakers there's this interview:
Itinérance : Le dévouement du Père Roberto
http://ici.radio-canada.ca/emissions/ya_pas_deux_matins_pareils/2014-2015/chronique.asp?idChronique=371827
À la mission St. John située aux coins des Queen et…