Walking an Ancient Path

Our sense of smell brings immediate associations to our hearts and minds, and the fragrance of incense reminds us of the presence of God. It can help us “attend” at church and also bless our homes.

For anyone from a heterodox past, the absence of theological debates during coffee hour is refreshing and a bit miraculous. Members of an Orthodox parish still argue with each other, but not about doctrine.

For anyone from a heterodox past, the absence of theological debates during coffee hour is refreshing and a bit miraculous. Members of an Orthodox parish still argue with each other, but not about doctrine.

The pandemic showed us that the online experience will never replace in-person Orthodox worship and its use of all five senses. Most importantly, we cannot replicate the one experience that is the center of our worship.

The pandemic showed us that the online experience will never replace in-person Orthodox worship and its use of all five senses. Most importantly, we cannot replicate the one experience that is the center of our worship.

In this episode Lynnette talks about veneration, Christ’s breaking the barrier between heaven and earth, the early Church’s understanding of one united Church, and three reasons to ask the saints for their intercessions.

In this episode Lynnette talks about veneration, Christ’s breaking the barrier between heaven and earth, the early Church’s understanding of one united Church, and three reasons to ask the saints for their intercessions.

After spending most of her life in a saint-free space, the idea of asking the saints to pray for us didn’t come easily to Lynnette. In part 1 of this two-part look at the subject, we’ll consider the objections to asking the saints for their prayers, the scriptures that reveal their awareness of us and involvement on earth, two categories of heavenly intercessors, and the concept of one united Church.

As a child, Lynnette watched people make the sign of the cross on TV—a foreign, superstitious, and Catholic thing to do. But it is actually a powerful weapon of prayer that Christians have used from the earliest days of the Church. Let’s reclaim it!

As a child, Lynnette watched people make the sign of the cross on TV—a foreign, superstitious, and Catholic thing to do. But it is actually a powerful weapon of prayer that Christians have used from the earliest days of the Church. Let’s reclaim it!