| Ten Important Things To Do While On Vacation It is important that our vacation time serve as a path to Christ, so that the time given us would not fly by unnoticed; it should be spent well and with spiritual benefit. Archpriest Alexander Iliashenko 27 May 2012 It is important that our vacation time serve as a path to Christ, so that the time given us would not fly by unnoticed; it should be spent well and with spiritual benefit. An Elder of exalted spiritual life was asked: “How did you spend your time away?” He replied: “Prayerfully.” I think the following recommendations can be offered: 1. Make every effort to improve your health: try to get enough sleep; go for walks in the fresh air as often as you can; put your daily regime in order. Having a bad time off and not restoring your strength can lead to difficulty in doing your work with proper concentration over the course of the year. 2. Expand your prayer rule by adding something that you do not normally have time to read: prayers, psalms, or a chapter from the Gospels. Or read your usual rule with greater attention and concentration. 3. Read at least one book about the faith: something by one of the Holy Fathers (for instance, St. John Chrysostom) or by a contemporary theologian. 4. Try to visit a monastery and venerate its sacred objects. Do not allow yourself to miss the Sunday Liturgy, justifying yourself by saying you are on vacation. 5. An information break is also essential. Put aside a few days of your vacation time that will be entirely free from the Internet, social networks, and frequent text messaging. Reduce the amount of time you spend reading the news or watching television. Hold out for as long as possible! 6. Communicate on a serious and deep level with members of your family – wife, husband, parents – without hurrying and without being distracted every five minutes by the telephone. Talk about life, joys, problems, and plans; rejoice in one another’s company. 7. As our children grow up, we often stop teaching them anything new in the same way we did when they were little. Read aloud to them an interesting but serious work that will open up something new to them. Watch a good, meaningful film with them. Teach them to listen to silence or to understand the beauty of poetry. |
| The Error of Chiliasm Fr. Michael Pomazansky Yesterday and today we are presenting a series of four articles on the heresy of Chiliasm, or Millennialsm—that is, that Christ will have a literal, earthly kingdom lasting for 1,000 years at the end of time. This belief, popular amongst many Protestants today, arises from a misinterpretation of Scripture, and our saints and holy elders hold for us the key to properly understanding Scripture, and the end times, as far as it is given to us to know. This third article is an excerpt from Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Pomazansky (St. Herman of Alaska Press). See the first article in the series by Elder Cleopa (Ilie) of Romania. See the second article in the series by Bishop Alexander (Mileant). Very widespread at the present time is the teaching about a thousand-year kingdom of Christ on earth before the universal or last judgment; this teaching is known by the name of " chiliasm " (from the Greek chiliasmos , a thousand years). The essence of this teaching is as follows: Long before the end of the world, Christ will come again to earth to overcome Antichrist and resurrect only the righteous, to establish a new kingdom on earth in which the righteous, as a reward for their struggles and sufferings, will reign together with Him for the course of one thousand years, taking enjoyment of all the good things of temporal life. After this there will follow a second, universal resurrection of the dead, the universal judgment, and the universal and eternal giving of rewards. Such are the ideas of the chiliasts. The defenders of this teaching found themselves on the visions of the seer of mysteries (John the Theologian) in the twentieth chapter of the Apocalypse. There it is said that an angel descended from heaven and bound satan for a thousand years, and that the souls of those beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection (Apoc. 20:5). And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, and shall go out to deceive the nations (Apoc. 20:7-8). Soon there follows the judgment of the devil and of those who were deceived by him. The dead will be raised up and judged according to their deeds. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire ... This is the second death (Apoc. 20:15, 14). Upon those who have been resurrected in the first resurrection, however, the second death will have no power. |
| The Inconsistency of Chiliasm Bishop Alexander (Mileant) Today and tomorrow we are presenting a series of four articles on the heresy of Chiliasm, or Millennialsm—that is, that Christ will have a literal, earthly kingdom lasting for 1,000 years at the end of time. This belief, popular amongst many Protestants today, arises from a misinterpretation of Scripture, and our saints and holy elders hold for us the key to properly understanding Scripture, and the end times, as far as it is given to us to know. The second article is an addendum to the work " The End of the World " by Bishop Alexander (Mileant). See the first article in the series by Elder Cleopa (Ilie) of Romania. There is presently a teaching about the thousand-year kingdom of Christ on earth prior to the Universal Judgment that is gaining increased acceptance among different Christian denominations. This teaching is known as chiliasm, from the Greek chiliasmos, meaning " a thousand years. " The essence of this teaching is as follows: Long before the end of the world, Christ will once again return to earth, defeat the Antichrist, resurrect the righteous only, and establish a kingdom on earth in which the righteous, as a reward for their struggles and sufferings, will reign with Him for a period of thousand years, enjoying all the good things of temporal life. After this, another resurrection will follow in which the rest of the people will be raised from the dead. Then the Universal Judgment will take place, and God will reward the righteous and punish the sinners. The defenders of this teaching base their arguments on the vision of the Apostle John in the 20th chapter of the book of Revelation. There it is said that an Angel descended from heaven and bound satan for a thousand years and that the souls of those beheaded for their witness of Jesus Christ and the word of God came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. This is the first resurrection , says the book of Revelation (Rev. 20:5). When the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations (Rev. 20:7-8). Soon there follows the judgment of the devil and of those who were deceived by him. The dead will be raised up and judged according to their deeds: And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire … This is the second death (Rev. 20:14-15). Upon those who have been resurrected in the first resurrection, however, the second death will have no power. |
| The Last Judgment, Giotto di Bondone. 1306 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it… And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened… And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. (Rev. 20:11-12) The theme of the Last Judgment of God’s creation has been the subject of many books, lectures, sermons, and conversations. However, its relation to the First Judgment of creation is seldom discussed. The First Judgment In Genesis chapter one, we see God creating the earth and calling it “good” over and over. When He reaches the end of the last day of creation, He looks upon all His work and judges it as “Very good” (Gen. 1:31). This is the First Judgment of creation, when all was natural – meaning it was all exactly as God designed it to be. But as we know, mankind fell into sin, and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Death, decay, corruption, sickness, and many other problems entered humanity, and through us, to the rest of creation (cf. Rom. 8:20, St. Symeon the New Theologian, Discourses, 28-29). This fall into sin and death is unnatural for creation. So, we, along with creation, entered a sub-natural state. When we say, “I am only human,” we misjudge the glorious state of what it means to be a truly healed human. The Cure The Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, took upon Himself our humanity so that He could heal it of sin and death. He became sin for us to reconcile us to God (cf. 2 Cor. 5:20-21). In doing so, He began the work of creation’s restoration. For all creation is restored in and through us, the Church. Depart: I Never Knew You Our Lord tells us at the Last Judgment, many will appear before Him and be shunned. These will be people who did great works in God’s name, yet their lives were not in accordance with the Gospel. To these people, our Lord states the fearful words, “I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matt. 7:23). It parallels another passage of the five wise and five foolish virgins. By virginity, we can understand it to mean those who kept themselves pure from the ways of the world. When “the door was shut,” they knocked but were not allowed entry. They cry out, “Lord, Lord, open to us!” Then the dreadful words are spoken, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you” (Matt. 25:1-13). Apparently, even being rigorous about purity is not enough. |
| What Are Temptations For? Photo from www.jw.org Matthew Chapter 4 1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. 4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. 5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, 6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God. 8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. 10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 11 Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him. 12 Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee; 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon and Nephthalim: 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, 15 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; 16 The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. |
| “When you come out of church do not begin to be distracted toward vain and useless matters, lest the devil come and find you occupied with them. It is as when a crow finds a grain of wheat on the plain before it has been covered up with earth and picks it up and flies off. So the devil removes the memory of the words of the catechesis from your hearts” (St. Simeon the New Theologian, The Discourses, Ch. XXX, 1) Photo: Protopriest Peter Perekrestov, http://instagram.com/sfprotoierei/ There are many ways to state the same problem: How does one retain the peace, joy, inspiration and faith accrued within the mind and soul? What can be done to hold onto those glorious gifts of grace from the time I drive from the church’s parking lot until the next time I enter? Like the song of Elton John for Lady Diana’s funeral, “Candle in the Wind,” many of us hardly make it home without surrendering our spiritual selves to some passing motorist or the checkout clerk in the supermarket. We blow up when cut off on the road or when treated discourteously. One must work at self control. In a culture that encourages us to “let it all hang out,” whatever that implies, or to “be in touch with your inner self,” the implication is that we should feel free to express our emotions and disregard the effect it has on others. We are a self-indulgent people and rarely excuse ourselves for bad behavior. This is in opposition to the person we must become if we dare call ourselves Christian. Read slowly the Sermon on the Mount chapters 5-7 in the St. Matthew gospel to find what it is our Lord expects from us. We are capable of continuing the uplifting emotions that charged our spiritual batteries while in church. You may say that you are easily distracted and that may well be; however, it shows that you have to take control of your thought patterns. St. Maximus the Confessor wrote that we are like riders on horses. We are the rider. We have a mind, a memory, and a plan for where we wish to go. The horse is like the irrational passions that want to control us, set the route or have no route, and act in an arbitrary fashion. Who is in control? |
| According to Amazon, the book most highlighted by Kindle readers is the Bible. And their favorite passage is Philippians 4.6-7. Here it is from the New International Version : Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. There’s nothing scientific about the survey, but it does seem significant that the most highlighted passage in the most highlighted book addresses worry, doubt, and disquiet. The problem is that these verses don’t fully address the problem. After all, if we read the simple admonition, it’s easy to see Paul as some sort of apostolic Bob Newhart yelling, “Stop it!” Before someone accuses me of being flip, let me redirect the blame to the people who first invented our scripture notation system. What we’re missing Paul did not insert chapter and verse numbers in his letters. Scholars in the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries did that. And while this system has its merits, it also creates interpretive problems, including inadvertently altering how we read certain passages and the meanings we take from them. Paul’s statement is not merely a blunt admonition ( don’t do it ). It actually comes with its own rationale ( you don’t need to do it because. . . ). But the rationale is one we might miss because of the verse numbers. Commentators before the advent of the numbering system do something different with the emphasis and structure of the passage. The start of verse 6 says, “Do not be anxious about anything,” but it’s connected to the end of verse 5: “The Lord is near.” John Chrysostom and Theodoret of Cyrus both read these as one continuous thought. Chrysostom quotes the passage as, “The Lord is at hand, in nothing be anxious.” And Theodoret’s treatment is the same: “The Lord is near. Have no worries.” Let me repeat that: “The Lord is near. Have no worries.” |
| Дмитрий Евменов Скачать epub pdf Литература 1. Babigian H. Schizophrenia: Epidemiology//Chapter 15, part 2, in vol. II Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry//Edited by A. M. Freedman. – Б.м., 1977. 2. Bergman Jerry R. Jehovah " s Witnesses and the Problem of Mental Illness. – Clayton: Witness Inc., 1992. 3. Cohn Werner. Jehovah " s Witnesses as a Proletarian Sect. – New York: New School for Social Research. – 1954. – apr. 4. Drach V. De l " harmonie entre l " egl. et la synag. Tom I. – Paris, 1844. 5. Franz R. In Search of Christian Freedom. – Atlanta: Commentary Press, 1991. 6. Hoekema A. Four Mojor Culte. – Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1963. 7. Jack D. The Disciple of Death//Daily Express. – 1985. – 13 мар. 8. Maats L. Troubled Churchgoer Talked off Hotel Roof//San Francisco Examiner. – 1986. – feb. 9. Mac Donald C. B. And Luckett J. B. Religious Affiliation and Psychiatric Diagnoses//Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. – 1983. – 1 Mar. Vol. 22. 10. Montague H. The Pessimistic Sect " s Influence on the Mental Health of its Members: The Case of Jehovah " s Witnesses//Social Compass. – 1977. – No.1. – Vol. 24. 11. Numberz R. L. Prophetess of Health: A Study of Ellen G. White. – New York: Harper & Row, 1976. 12. Parker A. Jehovah " s Sect Girl, 15, killed widow//The Sun. – 1985. – 1 мар. С.11. 13. Re W. The White Lie. – California: M.& R. Publications, 1982. 14. Robinson D. The Unitarians and the Universalists. – Westport: Greenwood Press, 1985. 15. Sack U. Case Studies of Voluntary Defectors from Intensive Religious Groups. – Los Angeles: University of California, 1985 16. Scholefield H. B. The Unitarian Universalist Pocket Guide. – Boston: Beacon Press, 1963. 17. Sparks Jack. The Mindbenders. – Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers, 1977. 18. Stanley J. The Patriarch and the Prodigal Son: What I Witnessed as a «Jehovah " s Witness». – Springfield: MA published by author, 1982. 19. Wierwille P. V. Jesus Christ Is Not God. – New Knoxville: American Christian Press, 1975. |
| John is calling his audience to a full confession of resurrection faith: Jesus is God in the flesh, and therefore his claims cannot be compromised, for synagogue or for Caesar. John will settle for no faith less secure than this. Further, while Thomas " s faith by sight is accepted, the faith without sight expected of John " s audience is greater (20:29; cf. 2Cor 5:6–7 ; 1Pet 1:8 ). It is grounded in the beloved disciplés testimony sampled in the Gospel (20:30–31), confirmed to hearers by the Paraclete (15:26–16:15). 10778 E.g., Ellis, Genius, 297–98; Minear, «Functions.» The «signs» include the resurrection chapter (esp. 20:27, 29) but also the rest of the «signs» in this Gospel (with, e.g., Lightfoot, Gospel, 336). 10779 E.g., Aeschines Timarchus 196; Cicero Fin. 5.32.95–96; Or. Brut. 40.137; Polybius 39.8.3; Dionysius of Halicarnassus Demosth. 32; Thucyd. 55; Musonius Rufus 6, pp. 54.26–56.11 (esp. 54.26; 56.7–11); Aelius Aristides Fifth Leuctrian Oration 43–44; Rhet. Alex. 36,1443b.l5–16; 1444b.21–35; 37, 1445b.21–23; Hippolytus Haer. 10.1; Anderson, Rhetorical Theory, 181–82; less fully, cf. Matt 28:18–20; Rom 16:17–19 . Of course, open or abrupt endings also appear, as in Mark 16 (see our comments on Mark 16:9–20 above, on the resurrection tradition). 10780 E.g., Isaeus Estate of Cleonymus 48, out of fifty-one paragraphs. Often they come at the conclusion of the proofs, though this might be near the work " s end (Cicero Quinct. 28.85–29.90), possibly relevant here; they could also conclude a section (Xenophon Hel1. 3.5.25, ending book 3; 4.8.19, ending only some events; Polybius 2.71.7–10, esp. 2.71.7–8; Cicero Fin. 3.9.31; Quinct. 19.60). 10781 Aeschines Timarchus 111. After his closing summary (Polybius 39.8.4–6), Polybius adds only closing comments (39.8.7–8). 10782 Achtemeier, «Miracle Workers,» 176. Even if redactional, Homer " s claim that Aeneas would rule the Trojans (Il. 20.303–308) is pre-Virgil and virtually invited the sort of development one finds in Virgil Aeneid. 10783 E.g., Valerius Maximus 2.7.5; 3.8.ext.l; Musonius Rufus 10, p. 78.22. Epideictic bards might also complain that time provided the only limit on their praises (Pindar Nem. 4.33–34; O1. 2.95; Pyth. 4.247–248; cf. Heb 11:32). In many oral genres, one should limit onés examples (Menander Rhetor 2.4, 393.25–30). 10787 Dionysius of Halicarnassus Thucyd. 55; Isaeus 19–20; Demosth. 42,46, 58; Lit. Comp. 11. More detailed discussion might await another occasion, but he needed to use most wisely the space that he had (Demosthenes 32; Isaeus 14); he wanted to avoid wasting the reader " s time (Demosthenes 40). |
| The present description of the report of Lazarus " s raising (12:17), like the account of Lazarus " s raising itself, somewhat resembles the description of the future resurrection (5:28: μνημεον; φωυ/φωνω), functioning as a public advance notification of that day. Those who had believed (11:44) now functioned as witnesses (12:17), which fits John " s paradigm for discipleship. The interest of the crowds (12:18) again shows that John recognizes the diverse Jewish responses to Jesus; his «enemies» are not his fellow Jews, but the «Pharisees» (12:19). That the Pharisees tell one another, «You are doing no good» (12:19), is vintage Johannine irony; 7829 they mean, «We have proved ineffective in stopping Jesus» («profit nothing,» as in 6:63), but they actually comment on their own deficit of righteousness. Further, their complaint about «the world» is telling; they may mean «the rabble,» but their words become an unintended prophecy (cf. 11:51) of Gentiles turning to Jesus (12:20; cf. 11:48), 7830 which must have been compounding the offense of Christianity for the enemies of John " s audience. 7831 As in 11:48, their words are also exaggeration on a literal level even for John; every member of the world follows Jesus no more than every individual already honors the Father (5:23); John is not a universalist. But the word becomes widespread and crosses all boundaries of culture and geography. Gentiles and the Cross (12:20–36) The rest of the chapter (12:20–50) moves directly into the passion. 7832 The Pharisees had unwittingly prophesied the coming of Gentiles to Jesus (12:19); proleptically this coming begins in 12:20–21. The coming of Gentiles (12:20–21) marks the final prerequisite for the «hour» of Jesus» glorification (12:23). 7833 1. The Coming of Gentiles? (12:20–22) John could intend Diaspora Jews here, 7834 perhaps as representatives of the Gentiles. 7835 More likely, however, John has Gentile Greeks in view (see comment on 7:35); 7836 as Brown points out, nothing less dramatic than «the understanding that the first Gentiles have come to Jesus explains his exclamation that the hour has come» (12:23). 7837 Many Diaspora Jews did come to the feasts (Josephus War 5.199), though probably not frequently. 7838 But many interested Gentiles would also attend; 7839 most of these would have been «God-fearers,» a widely attested class of Gentiles interested in Judaism. 7840 Probably a fairly large percentage of the visiting Greeks would be from the region, especially from Syria and the Decapolis. 7841 |
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