Hell Is Not Empty

Originally posted 11/12/2009.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

V. Palamism’s principal opponents. Their doctrine on the light of Tabor

Originally posted 11/9/2009.

Here is an ongoing rough translation of part of Fr. Martin Jugie, A.A. (1878-1954), “Palamite (Controverse),” in: M. Vacant et al., eds., Dictionnaire de théologie catholique, tome XI/2 (Paris 1932), cols. 1777-1818. Many thanks to Dr. Peter Gilbert of De Unione Ecclesiarum for sending me the French text. Once I transcribe the Greek, the process should be a lot quicker.

V. Palamism’s principal opponents. Their doctrine on the light of Tabor (col. 1802)
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The Photian Robber Council of 879-880

Originally posted 10/27/2009.

Pope John VIII mercifully reinstated Patriarch St. Photios the Great of Constantinople, but this was the extent of his approval of the acts of the 879-880 Council of Constantinople (Mann 270).{1} I don’t know how people like Fr. George Dion Dragas can seriously maintain that this fraud-riddled council is a fully binding ecumenical council.

Metropolitan St. Michael I of Kiev

Originally posted 11/6/2008.

1. September 30 is the feast day of Metropolitan St. Michael I of Kiev. In 989 Patriarch Nicholas II Chrysoberges of Constantinople sent Greek and Bulgarian clergymen, including Metropolitan St. Michael, to Kiev at the invitation of the recently baptized King St. Vladimir I the Great. St. Michael brought Slavonic church service books, holy relics, icons, and church furnishings to Kiev, and he baptized King St. Vladimir’s 12 sons and the Kievan citizens who went to the Dnieper River.

Cappadocian Theology Midterm

Originally posted 11/2/2009.

Here is what I wrote on the Cappadocian criteria for spiritual leadership for my 10/26/2009 Cappadocian Theology Midterm. Happily, I got a B (84). The commentary of Dr. Demacopoulos: “Everything you provide is accurate and important but your argument is not necessarily well organized and you simply leave out other important details and texts.” His evaluation is accurate and was what I anticipated. Here’s what I wrote (no edits):

Church Fathers: Mary is the Queen of Heaven

Originally posted 3/6/2009.

The Church Fathers acknowledged the queenly dignity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Response to Givan2009 on St. Photios

Originally posted 10/27/2009.

WRH: Dear Givan2009,
While I would have liked to cap off my commentary on the Photian controversy with the happy news that St. Photios the Great died in penitence in communion with the Apostolic See and was canonized in a time of union between Old Rome and New Rome,{1} your repetition of historical myths, including your (at least implicit) false portrayal of St. Photios as a man with a blameless ecclesiastical career, has forced me to return to the less pleasant aspects of the patriarch’s career. I apologize for the bare-bones nature of this critique; I’ve been time-constrained by technical difficulties and other business.

Response to Perry Robinson on Corporeal Vision of Uncreated Light

Originally posted 10/31/2009.

Yesterday (10/30/2009), Energetic Procession webmaster Perry Robinson said the following in response to my 10/15/2009 post “God Cannot Be Seen with the Eyes of the Body“:

But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.

Luke 9:32

I guess the glory isn’t God.

And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth, Part II

Originally posted 12/18/2008.

1. This was going to be a term paper for Faith & Critical Reason but for sundry reasons it was not to be and it did not end up nearly long enough anyway; my term paper was instead on reasons for safeguarding the environment. I was moved by the style of the Church Fathers to write this in a homiletic manner, but there is probably a great deal of rambling because I was trying to draw things out to meet the required paper length:

And the Lord God formed man of the slime of the earth

Originally posted 11/25/2008.

The following texts show the ancient and constant tradition of the Church that God immediately created Adam and Eve, body and soul. Read especially the Scriptural texts to see the implications of a merely allegorical reading. A few more texts will come soon. Peace and God bless you & yours!