Doug’s Theological Thoughts

  • Saints of the Day 2025-01-10

    Gregory of Nyssa In the year 372, Gregory of Nyssa was consecrated by Saint Basil the Great as bishop of the city of Nyssa in Cappadocia. Saint Gregory was an ardent advocate for Orthodoxy, and he fought against the Arian heresy with his brother Saint Basil. Gregory was persecuted by the Arians, by whom he…

  • Saints of the Day 2025-01-09

    Polyeuctus the Martyr of Melitene in Armenia Saint Polyeuktos went to the city square, and tore up the edict of Decius which required everyone to worship the idols. A few moments later, he met a procession carrying twelve idols through the streets of the city. Dashing the idols to the ground, he trampled them underfoot.…

  • The Biblical Case for the Dec. 25th Birth of Christ

    Page here

  • The Theotokos in Psalm 5

    Using Reading the Nativity Psalms to understand Psalm 5. Psalm 5:1 [For the end, a Psalm of David, concerning her that inherits.] 2 Hearken to my words, O Lord, attend to my cry. 3 Attend to the voice of my supplication, my King, and my God: for to thee, O Lord, will I pray. 4…

  • The Cappadocian Fathers

    From Grok. The Cappadocian Fathers—St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nazianzus (also known as Gregory the Theologian), and St. Gregory of Nyssa—made profound contributions to the Eastern Orthodox Church, particularly in the realms of theology, liturgy, and monasticism. Here’s a summary of their major contributions: Theological Contributions: Liturgical and Ecclesiological Contributions: Philosophical and Ethical…

  • From Plato to Augustine to Calvin

    The following was from Grok (X/Twitter AI tool) since I’m not a subject matter expert. It was posed as a series of questions and answers. The questions are in bold. What is the link between Plato, Augustine, and Calvin? The link between Plato, Augustine, and John Calvin can be traced through philosophical and theological influences…

  • “Mysteries” in the Orthodox Church

    One word that I found difficult to understand when I studied Orthodoxy is the word “mystery”. In particular, the Orthodox Church refers to “The Mysteries” often in terms of the Seven Sacraments. One page puts it well. Unlike some other Christian denominations, which may view sacraments primarily as symbolic rituals, Orthodox Christians believe that the…

  • Reading the Nativity Psalms

    These are notes from a lecture by Dr. Justin Gohl, Lecturer in Old Testament at St Tikhon’s Seminary, (Here are some of his numerous publications). Any errors in the following are all mine and not Dr. Gohl’s. I wrote it up here to preserve it for my own future reference and application and anyone who…

  • Saints for Today – 2024-12-12

    Spyridon the Wonderworker of Trymithous Orthodox Christianity Then and Now Holy New Martyr Peter the Aleut Orthodox Christianity Then and Now John (or Joachim), Bishop of Zichni Orthodox Christianity Then and Now

  • Gospel Reading 2024-12-12

    JOHN 10:9-16The Lord said, “I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-12-12

    ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS 5:8-19Brethren, walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is a…

  • Saints of the Day 2024-12-11

    Daniel the Stylite of Constantinople Luke the New Stylite of Chalcedon Martyrs Acepsius and Aeithalas Holy Martyrs Miracus and Barsabas Leontios the Righteous of Monemvasia The Glorious King Nikephoros Phokas

  • Gospel Reading 2024-12-11

    MARK 8:30-34At that time, Jesus charged his disciples to tell no one about him, that he is the Christ. And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-12-11

    ST. PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE THESSALONIANS 2:1-12Brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet him, we beg you not to be quickly shaken in mind or excited, either by spirit or by word, or by letter purporting to be from us, to the effect that the day of…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-12-09

    ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE GALATIANS 4:22-27Brethren, Abraham had two sons, one by a slave and one by a free woman. But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, the son of the free woman through promise. Now this is an allegory: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount…

  • The Conception by St. Anna of the Most Holy Theotokos

    According to the ancient tradition of the Church, since Saint Anna, the Ancestor of God, was barren, she and her husband Joachim remained without children until old age. Therefore, sorrowing over their childlessness, they besought God with a promise that, if He were to grant them the fruit of the womb, they would offer their…

  • Gospel Reading 2024-12-07

    LUKE 13:19-29The Lord said this parable, “The kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.” And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom…

  • Epistle Reading 2024-12-07

    ST. PAUL’S SECOND LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS 11:1-6Brethren, I wish you would bear with me in a little foolishness. Do bear with me! I feel a divine jealousy for you, for I betrothed you to Christ to present you as a pure bride to her one husband. But I am afraid that as the serpent…

  • Saints of the Day 2024-12-07

    Ambrose, Bishop of Milan (339 – 397) Orthodox Christianity Then and Now Saint Ambrose, was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promoting Roman Christianity against Arianism and paganism.[5] He left a substantial collection of writings, of which the…

  • It is the Nativity Fast

  • Pedigree of the Patriarchs of Antioch

    Antioch is where the disciples of Christ were first called Christians. Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. There is an…

  • Gospel Reading – 2024-12-06

    LUKE 6:17-23 At that time, Jesus stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean…

  • Gospel Reading 2024-12-05

    MATTHEW 11:27-30 The Lord said to his disciples, “All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.  Come to me, all who labor and are…

  • Epistle Reading – 2023-12-07

    ST. PAUL’S LETTER TO THE HEBREWS 13:17-21 Brethren, obey your leaders and submit to them; for they are keeping watch over your souls, as men who will have to give account. Let them do this joyfully, and not sadly, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure…