Doug’s Theological Thoughts

  • Gospel Reading

    Today’s reading is the story of the Nativity of St John the Forerunner. LUKE 1:1-25, 57-68, 76, 80Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things which have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word,…

  • Epistle Reading

    ROMANS 13:11-14; 14:1-4Brethren, salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed; the night is far gone, the day is at hand. Let us then cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; let us conduct ourselves becomingly as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not…

  • Nativity of St John the Forerunner

    The phrase “St John the Forerunner” is different than the usual phrase “John the Baptist” used by Protestants. John was the one that came before Christ and announced His Coming was here. He appears at the beginning of the Gospel of St Mark. St Mark 1:2-8 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I…

  • This Generation

    MATTHEW 11:16-20 The Lord said, “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, ‘We piped to you, and you did not dance; we wailed, and you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’;…

  • Hearing the Word

    ROMANS 10:11-21; 11:1-2 Brethren, the scripture says, “No one who believes in God will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord…

  • Apostolic Succession of the Patriarchate of Jerusalem

    List of Patriarchs of Jeusalem

  • Attitude in Apologetics

    Fr Paul Truenbach talks about proper attitude in apologetics.

  • John the Forerunner in Prison

    Gospel reading for today MATTHEW 11:2-15At that time, when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?” And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see:…

  • Explaining the Gospel

    Father Stephen DeYoung Explains the Gospel to Gavin Ortlund The Nicene Creed Biblical Correlation

  • Those outside the Church

    Fr Stephen DeYoung explains to Gavin Ortlund how the Orthodox Church views those outside the Faith

  • What is the Church?

    Stephen DeYoung explains to Gavin Ortlund what the Church is

  • The Eucharist Explained

    Fr Jonathan Ivanoff explains the Eucharist to Pastor Tommy

  • Liturgical Worship in the Early Church

    Fr Jonathan Ivanoff explains Liturgical Worship to Pastor Tommy

  • God Hardens Those He Will

    The Epistle reading for today is ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE ROMANS 9:18-33 Brethren, God has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens the heart of whomever he wills. You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, a man, to…

  • The Protestant Dilemma (Refined)

    Protestantism affirms Sola Scriptura: Scripture alone is the sole infallible rule of faith and practice. No tradition, council, pope, or individual interpretation possesses infallible authority. All human reception, tradition, and interpretation of Scripture is fallible by definition. The Church is the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Tim 3:15): Scripture itself declares that the…

  • Water Baptism and John 3

    Cyprian of Carthage AD 258 Since it is written, “Except a man be born again of water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”. And therefore it behoves those to be baptized who come from heresy to the Church, that so they who are prepared, in the lawful, and true,…

  • Apostolic Succession

    Protestants often miss the verses which show the Apostles appointing Bishops to oversee the Churches that they founded. It’s in a few scattered verses (and implied in many others). Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every…

  • The Torah and Sacrifices

    There are 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Torah, according to traditional Jewish teaching. According to Maimonides in his Sefer HaMitzvot, about 100 of the 613 commandments directly concern sacrifices (korbanot). This excludes roughly another 50 commandments related to the Temple structure, priesthood duties, and related matters (which may indirectly involve or enable sacrifices but are…

  • Actual monastic lentil soup

    Start with a sofrito of onion, carrot and celery, add toasted cumin seeds, paprika, add lentils which have already been boiled and drained, add tomatoes, cover with water. Serve with vinegar and chopped scallions, or alternatively sorrel or parsley

  • Pork?

    From grok The question of whether early Christians ate pork (or followed Jewish dietary laws prohibiting it, as in Leviticus 11:7–8 and Deuteronomy 14:8) has a nuanced answer based on the New Testament and historical evidence from the apostolic era.Key Biblical Developments Practice in the Early Church In summary, while the very earliest Jewish followers…

  • Men’s Book Club

    Our Men’s group finished Fr Andrews Stephen’s book on St Ignatius of Antioch. Ignatius of Antioch (/ɪɡˈneɪʃəs/; Ancient Greek: Ἰγνάτιος Ἀντιοχείας, romanized: Ignátios Antiokheías; died c. 108/140), also known as Ignatius Theophorus (Ἰγνάτιος ὁ Θεοφόρος, Ignátios ho Theophóros, ‘the God-bearing’), was an early Christian writer and Patriarch of Antioch. While en route to Rome, where he met his martyrdom, Ignatius wrote a series of letters. This correspondence forms a central…

  • Saint Theophan the Recluse

    My Patron Saint is Theophan the Recluse. I was looking for a patron saint and went down a particular path. My first name, Douglas has various meanings but one of the common ones is “dark, moody waters.” There are no Orthodox saints with the name Douglas. I tried finding a Celtic Orthodox Saint with a…

  • Dying in Baptism

    The Apostle Paul teaches this explicitly in Romans 6:3-11: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore, we were buried with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we…

  • Dying to Join

    From Inquirer to Newly Illumined You are already convinced enough in your mind that you want to become Orthodox, but it seems like the Church/Priest are not quite sure about you. What’s up with that? Inquirer Phase A lot of Inquirers have already engaged with books like Ware’s book or one of the Evangelical Orthodox…