Doug’s Theological Thoughts

  • Saints – 2025-03-07

    The Holy Martyred Bishops of Cherson – Basileus, Ephraim, Eugene, Capito, Aetherius, Agathodorus, and Elpidius The Hieromartyrs Basil, Ephraim, Eugene, Elpidius, Agathodorus, Aetherius, and Capiton carried the Gospel of Christ into the North Black Sea region from the Danube to the Dniper, including the Crimea. They were bishops of Cherson at different times during the…

  • Saints – 2025-03-06

    42 Martyrs of Amorion in Phrygia During a war between the Byzantine Emperor Theophilus (829-842) and the Saracens, the Saracens managed to besiege the city of Ammoria (in Galicia in Asia Minor). As a result of treason on the part of the military commander Baditses, Ammoria fell, and forty-two of its generals were taken captive…

  • OT Reading – 2025-03-05 (3)

    GENESIS 1:24-2:3And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds: cattle and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the cattle according to their kinds, and everything that creeps…

  • OT Reading – 2025-03-05 (2)

    PROVERBS 2:1-22My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures; then…

  • OT Reading – 2025-03-05

    ISAIAH 2:3-11Thus say the people: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from…

  • Saints – 2025-03-05

    Conon the Gardener The Holy Martyr Conon the Gardener was born in Nazareth of Galilee, but he lived in the city of Mandona, where he occupied himself with gardening. He was a God-fearing man, sincere in heart, and without malice. The saint suffered for his faith in Christ under the emperor Decius (249-251). When they…

  • Saints – 2025-03-04

    Gerasimus the Righteous of Jordan Saint Gerasimus was a native of Lycia (Asia Minor). From his early years he was distinguished for his piety. Having received monastic tonsure, he withdrew into the desert of the Thebaid (in Egypt). Thereafter, in about the year 450, the monk arrived in Palestine and settled at the Jordan, where…

  • Passover Celebrated Where?

    John Chrysostom, Against the Jews. Homily 3 (6) Do you consider that the Jews are wiser than the Fathers who came from everywhere in the world? How can you do that when the Jews have been driven from their ancestral commonwealth and way of life and have no sacred festival to celebrate? I hear many…

  • OT Reading – 2025-03-03 (3)

    GENESIS 1:1-13 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters. And God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. And God saw…

  • OT Reading – 2025-03-03 (2)

    PROVERBS 1:1-20The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel: That men may know wisdom and instruction, understand words of insight, receive instruction in wise dealing, righteousness, justice, and equity; that prudence may be given to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth — the wise man also may hear and increase in…

  • OT Reading – 2025-03-03

    ISAIAH 1:1-20The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzzi’ah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezeki’ah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Sons have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The…

  • Saints – 2025-03-03

    The Holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus, and Basiliscus The Holy Martyrs Eutropius, Cleonicus and Basiliscus suffered in the city of Pontine Amasea (Asia Minor) in about the year 308. The brothers Eutropius and Cleonicus, and Basiliscus the nephew of the Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit (February 17), were comrades. After the martyric death of Saint Theodore,…

  • The Dangers of Dyerism

  • OT Reading – 2025-02-25

    JOEL 3:12-21Let the nations bestir themselves and come up to the valley of Jehosh’aphat; for there I will sit to judge all the nations round about. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Go in, tread, for the wine press is full. The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes, in…

  • Saints – 2025-02-26

    Porphyrius, Bishop of Gaza The Saint for today is Saint Porphyrius, Bishop of Gaza. Saint Porphyrius, Archbishop of Gaza, was born about the year 346 at Thessalonica. In 395 the bishop of the city of Gaza (in Palestine) died. The local Christians went to Caesarea to ask Metropolitan John to send them a new bishop…

  • Saints – 2025-02-24

    First & Second Finding of the Venerable Head of John the Baptist OCA Site Romanos, Prince of Uglich Boswell, Abbot of Melrose Abbey Cumine the White, Abbot of Iona

  • Epistle – 2025-02-23

    ST. PAUL’S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 8:8-13; 9:1-2Brethren, food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if any one sees you,…

  • Saints – 2025-02-23

    Judgment Sunday (Meatfare Sunday) The Fast approaches. Today is the last day for eating meat and meat products until Pascha, though eggs and dairy products are permitted every day during the coming week. This limited fasting prepares us gradually for the more intense fasting of Great Lent. Polycarp the Holy Martyr & Bishop of Smyrna…

  • Epistle – 2025-01-18

    ST. JOHN’S FIRST UNIVERSAL LETTER 3:9-22BRETHREN, no one born of God commits sin; for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God. By this it may be seen who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not do right is…

  • Saints – 2025-02-18

    Leo the Great, Pope of Rome Saint Leo I the Great, Pope of Rome (440-461), received a fine and diverse education, which opened for him the possibility of an excellent worldly career. He yearned for the spiritual life, however, and so he chose the path of becoming an archdeacon under holy Pope Sixtus III (432-440),…

  • Saints – 2025-02-17

    Theodore the Tyro, Great Martyr The Holy Great Martyr Theodore the Recruit1 was a soldier in the city of Amáseia in Pontus (Asia Minor) on the coast of the Euxine (Black) Sea, under the command of the Praepositus (regimental commander) Brincus. Saint Theodore was ordered to offer sacrifice to idols, but he proclaimed his faith…

  • Quran Quotes the Talmud

    Quran 5:32 Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land – it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one – it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers…

  • Epistle – 2025-02-12

    ST. PETER’S SECOND UNIVERSAL LETTER 3:1-18Beloved, this is now the second letter that I have written to you, and in both of them I have aroused your sincere mind by way of reminder; that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles. First…

  • Saints – 2025-02-12

    Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch Saint Meletius, Archbishop of Antioch, was Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia (ca. 357), and afterwards he was summoned to Antioch by the emperor Constantius to help combat the Arian heresy, and was appointed to that See. Saint Meletius struggled zealously against the Arian error, but through the intrigues of the heretics…