Doug’s Theological Thoughts

  • Evangelical “Re-” Baptism

    When I was an associate Evangelical pastor, I taught the Baptism class. I talked a woman in the class out of being rebaptized. She was originally baptized Catholic. Our Sr Pastor wasn’t happy. I was more of a sacramentalist than most. Eph 4:5-6 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all,…

  • St Justinian and Symphōnia

    Saint Justinian I (c. 482–565 CE), Byzantine emperor from 527 to 565, is one of history’s most influential figures in harmonizing ecclesiastical and imperial authority—a relationship often termed the “symphony” between church and state (from the Greek symphōnia, meaning “agreement” or “concord”). Though the term itself was formalized later (notably in the 6th-century Epanagoge under…

  • Low Carb Orthodox Fasting Recipes

    Orthodox Nativity Fast (Nov 15–Dec 24 on the New Calendar) is strict: no meat, dairy, eggs, fish (except with oil on certain days), wine, or oil on Mon/Wed/Fri. Oil & wine allowed Tue/Thu/Sat/Sun. All recipes below are oil-free on strict days (marked ✦) but use oil minimally on permitted days (marked ✓). Every dish is…

  • Messianic Judaism

    I went to a Messianic Jewish synagogue for 1.5 yrs back in the mid 1990’s. I mistakenly thought if I went to a Messianic synagogue, I’d get to learn the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. What I got was the form of rabbinic Judaism that was practiced after the temple was destroyed. I learned…

  • The Chosen People

    New Testament fulfillment of Old Testament passages.

  • The Mercy of God

    The Jews still exist. God did not destroy them when they rejected His Only Son. He could have and would have been within His rights to do so. After all, He destroyed Sodom for a much less serious crime. The mercy of God is to give them time to repent.

  • Good Pharisees?

    John the Forerunner Most of the Gospel accounts of Pharisees are negative. Matthew 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Nicodemus – Secret Follower John 3:1 There was…

  • Islamic Dilemma?

    The Islamic Dilemma is a simple, evidence-based argument used in Christian apologetics to show that the Qur’an itself proves the Bible (both Old and New Testaments) is reliable and uncorrupted.It forces any Muslim to choose between two contradictory claims inside the Qur’an. Step-by-step proof (with exact verses) The Bible that existed in the 7th century…

  • Najran Massacre

    The Massacre of Christians in Najran (523 CE) The most prominent historical event referred to as the “massacre of Christians in Yemen” is the persecution and mass killing of Christians in the city of Najran (in modern-day southwestern Saudi Arabia, but part of ancient Himyarite Yemen) in 523 CE. This event, carried out under the…

  • Priestly Vestments

    Exodus 28 provides detailed instructions from God to Moses about the garments for Aaron, the high priest, and his sons. These include the ephod, breastpiece, robe, tunic, turban, and sash, with specifics on materials (gold, blue, purple, scarlet yarn, and fine linen), design, and symbolic elements like the twelve gemstones representing the tribes of Israel.…

  • John the Forerunner

    There’s a tradition of the Orthodox Church, not in the Bible, that John the Baptist went to Hades and preached about Jesus there. His mission wasn’t just to those on earth, but also to those awaiting the Messiah. And of course, it makes perfect sense. What else would John do? He isn’t the sort of…

  • Most Holy Theotokos, Save Us

    Fr. Prof. Staniloae, homily at Dormition: Jesus Christ is the Son of God Who was born as a human, under the natural law, but not according to the natural law. He was born exceeding the blind laws of regular human birth and, because of that, He was able to be without sin and he was…

  • Honoring Relics

    The Patriarchs commanded their sons to take their bones out of Egypt and bring them into the Promised Land. Their bones were buried in the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. To this day, Jews go there to pray. Why would Christian tradition be any different? We have the same roots. If they honor Abraham…

  • Everybody is Kissing the Wall…

    There is a real lack of basic historical knowledge among Christians about the Western (wailing) wall in Jerusalem. Many believe it’s always been a place Christians go to worship and that it’s somehow “holy” to Christians today. Bottom line: It wasn’t a place Christians considered holy nor did they go to the Temple wall until…

  • Woman Caught in Adultery

    There’s a claim in the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8) as well as an unresolved issue. The story was intended as a trap for Jesus which he managed to outwit (v 6) without violating the Law. The claim was “she was caught in the act”. The requirement of the Law was…

  • If they abide not still in unbelief

    Romans 11:17-21And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt…

  • Online Orthodox Drama?

    Eastern Orthodox vs Oriental Orthodox Statement of the Orthodox Church of Antioch on the Relations between the Eastern and Syrian Orthodox Churches The debate that started it earlier??? Dyer insults Oriental Orthodox Basilica of St. Mary – Livonia, MI A lot of brown brothers in this Antiochian Orthodox parish in Michigan. Orthodoxy and Racism Racist Rage…

  • Do Unbaptized Babies go to Hell? (Chrysostom, Augustine, and Original Sin)

  • Orthodox Dogmatic Theology

    By Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky On-Line Book For sale on Amazon Excellent presentation of Orthodox dogmatics with very strong Scriptural support.

  • Orthodoxy and Racism

    Tuesday, February 27, 2018 – A Statement Concerning the Sin of Racism All of this obviously precludes any personal hatred, prejudice, or resentment of others on account of their “race” or nationality, and it must also lead Orthodox Christians to reject and oppose systemic or institutional injustice against racial or national minorities. Furthermore, it means…

  • History of Eschatological Paradigms

    It’s somewhat difficult to directly determine what constitutes the Orthodox view of Eschatology since there is very little written on the subject. This can be a shock to a western thinker since the western church has developed an unhealthy obsession with the subject starting with the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. It is relatively easy, though, to…

  • Orthodoxy vs Christian Zionism (Grok)

    Christian Zionism, the belief that the modern state of Israel is a divinely ordained fulfillment of biblical prophecy and that Christians should actively support its political and territorial aims, is a controversial topic within Christian theology. Orthodox Christian theology, rooted in the patristic tradition and the teachings of the early Church Fathers, offers several arguments…

  • Saints – 2025-04-07

    Calliopus and Akylina the Martyrs George, Bishop of Mytilene Gerasimos the God-Bearer of Byzantium Righteous Father Savvas the New of Kalymnos Tikhon, Patriarch of Moscow and Enlightener of North America

  • Saints – 2025-04-06

    Eutychius, Patriarch of Constantinople 120 Martyrs of Persia Gregory of Sinai Platonis the Nun of Nisibis