Biblical Numerology in Patristic Thought
Biblical numerology is a topic discussed in theological literature, where several opinions exist regarding the symbolic use of numbers.
The “Low Level” Ascetic Saint: Characteristics and Misconceptions
The “low level” saint is a theological term (not accepted by all scholars) aiming to describe a category of saints who lived with ordinary people and who were not usually members of the Church hierarchy (with some exceptions, like St. Nectarios of Pentapolis). There are many well-known “low level” ascetic saints of the ancient Church (for example the various Sts. Anargyroi) and many “low level” ascetics who lived in modern times (e.g. Paisios the Hagiorite, the Elder Porfyrios and Fr. Iakovos Tsalikis) who are considered holy people by the faith community.
Saint Nathaniel in John’s Gospel
St. Nathanael is an apostle of Christ, one whom little is known of. He is referred to only in St. John’s gospel (1:45 and 21:2), the last of the four gospels of the New Testament. Although the ecclesial tradition wishes to identify him with the apostle Bartholomew [possibly, in order to justify the absence of his name in the synoptic gospels], it remains worth noting that St. John calls him Nathanael [despite the fact that John was familiar with the synoptic gospels and the particular references to Bartholomew: Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19 and Luke 6:12-16].
The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom, used by the Ukrainian Lutheran Church, and its missing elements
The Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom is the most celebrated Eucharistic service in the Byzantine liturgical rite, used mainly by the Orthodox Christians. It is attributed to St. John Chrysostom, Patriarch of Constantinople in the 5th century A.D. It is composed of two parts. The first part is the Liturgy of the Word and […]
A Book Review from an Orthodox Christian Perspective: Carter Heyward:”Touching our Strength; The erotic as Power and the Love of God”
The aim of this book review is to explore the message of the book about the interaction of people with each other and with the divine and to make a critical evaluation of this message based on Orthodox Christian theological criteria.
An Orthodox Christian Response to Ecofeminist Theological Claims
The term “ecofeminism” was coined in 1984 by Francoise d’ Euabonne to describe women’s ability to work towards the purposes and goals of the ecological movement. Since then, it has been adopted by many intellectuals who aim to connect, historically and philosophically, the phenomena of women’s oppression and nature’s exploitation. Ecofeminist theology serves the goals […]
The Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms in Three Patristic Texts
The doctrine of the two kingdoms, analyzed in the works of the reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin, is a doctrine that also appears in the patristic thought. The doctrine teaches that God’s heavenly Kingdom is superior to any earthly kingdom; that is why Christians must “obey God rather than man” (Acts 5:29). This […]
Martyria and Heresy in Saint Polycarp’s Letter to the Philippians-A Theological Note
St. Polycarp (69-156 AD) is an Apostolic Father of the Church. He served Smyrna as its bishop appointed by the Apostles, according to St. Irenaeus. (Irenaeus was a student of Polycarp. He refers to Polycarp in his work “Against Heresies”, III.3.4). Polycarp wrote several epistles. However, his only surviving epistle is the one to the […]
Prolegomena in the Studies of St.Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis
1.0 PAPIAS, THE APOSTOLIC FATHER OF THE CHURCH The Apostolic Fathers are the leaders of the Christian Church who lived in the second century AD. The relation of the Apostolic Fathers with either the apostles or the elders who knew Christ personally, gave them a special status of respect in the faith community. Among the […]
The Ecclesiology of Nikos Nissiotis
Nikos Nissiotis Nikos Nissiotis was an academically respected Orthodox theologian who lived in the 20th century (1925-1986). He wrote various theological essays bringing new approaches to the field of systematic theology and presenting a dynamic Orthodox ecclesiology. Although his work preserves a scholarly and academic character, it also reflects Nissiotis’ desire for inter-Christian cooperation and […]