Doug’s Theological Thoughts

The Lord of Spirits: An Orthodox Christian Framework for the Unseen World and Spiritual Warfare (Ancient Faith store link).  

For those with access to theological libraries, or who can get the document through the Theological Research Exchange Network, the thesis that I found was by William Essey and is dated March 1973. The title is “Mariology in the Fathers: Apostolic Era through Byzantine Synthesis”. In the paper the author notes the influence of the…

If the writers of the New Testament were to use a Greek word to describe a gathering together of the people of God in the Old Testament they would naturally use the Greek word ekklesia which means assembly.  Act 7:38 This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which…

Someone else put it better than I did/could: A forgiving person is ready to forgive and desires that the scenario for forgiveness to take place will develop in time. One who has been wronged can learn to still be considerate and compassionate ( that is the fruit of love) when true repentance has not taken…

Mat 18:23-35 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his…

I think it will be a relief to many people to understand that God doesn’t ask them to forgive those who have abused them. It’s good news. Of course it’s bad news to the dispensers of religious tradition who think they can control people by keeping them under a guilt trip telling them that about…

Someone asked me to summarize my theology of forgiveness. We need to forgive people who are truly ignorant of their sins. If someone repents we are obligated to forgive them. Repentance includes sorrow, restoration, recompense. If someone does not repent, we are obliged to confront and rebuke them. If someone refuses to repent after confrontation,…

If you are to always to forgive then why does the Scripture say: John 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.  That doesn’t fit at all with the unilateral forgiveness paradigm. Why doesn’t the church just always forgive if that’s really the…

Someone wrote: Some people really think that Jesus said, By their doctrine you shall know them. That always baffles me. Look these passages up: Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee. Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in…

Someone quotes (as they always do when discussing the subject of forgiveness)  this passage: Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Yes, I agree 100% with what Eph. ch 4:32 says. But, do you see what it says? If we…

“I was forgiven BEFORE I repented.” Not exactly. If you were, then you would not need to receive it. “The penalty/debt was paid and justice was met at the Cross.” True. “I simply need to receive that forgiveness.” If I offer you a dollar and you refuse to take the dollar, who has the dollar?…

1Ti 5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed.1Ti 5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God.1Ti 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in…

1Ti 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

2Th 3:10-14 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus…

Life in a fishbowl. People notice your parenting, your actions, everything you do. You can’t have a bad day. Husband devoted to his first love – Christ’s church. He’s on 24-hour call. Few real friends in the church in whom you can confide due to rampant gossip in the church. Financial concerns – pastors don’t…

Read more: http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/08/05/2031806/ariz-pastors-indicted-for-not.html#storylink=mirelated#ixzz0wVBMUApb

Bishop Basil of the Antiochian Orthodox Church talks about the Episcopal Assembly which met to discuss the way forward to administrative unity between the various jurisdictions of Orthodoxy in America.