Without doubt there were deaconesses in the early Church. What you call the “liturgical and pastoral functions” of these women never included, however—and in an Orthodox context never could include—“leading a service”. An all-male priesthood has always been the norm...

You are struggling, you say, with belief in an afterlife. There are a variety of reassurances one might provide. How I might address a given interlocutor (including you) depends on what sort of background and what set of assumptions he brings to the conversation. I...

The main reason for fasting and other forms of ascesis is, ideally, to break our attachments, or else, when that proves too difficult, at least to make us more keenly aware of them than we ordinarily are. So the first question we have to ask ourselves is: To what am I...

As I’m sure you know, there have been a number of official statements, issued by various Orthodox jurisdictions, stating that Orthodoxy and Masonry are not compatible. I think we may, and must, treat these as authoritative, and non-negotiable. Even so, I understand...

It has come to my attention that the comment function is not working on this weblog, and apparently has not been for some time. My apologies to any and all who may have wished to respond to my observations. I am looking into fixing the problem. The friend who alerted...

I agree that a religion without a “goddess” is somehow incomplete. But I don’t agree that there needs to be a Christian dogma to that effect. On the contrary, as I note in my article on Schuon’s Mariology, “Colorless Light and Pure Air”––and as I suggest in another...

Yes, I certainly do believe that there is, or at least can be, an advaitic form of Christianity; as a matter of fact I'm at work on a book on the subject. I realize this may come as something of a surprise. But as I see it, that's because you mistakenly think that a...

It's risky, as you will no doubt appreciate, to advise a person one has never met regarding such a practice. In principle, yes: struggling against one's desire for sleep—refusing to be controlled by the appetitive part of the soul, requiring instead that it...

What would I say is "the essence of Christmas"? I believe I'd demur, and rather than trying to come up with something profound of my own—a foolish quest!—I'd quote instead one of my all-time favorite poems, "The Blessed Virgin Compared to the Air We...

How best to conduct foreign policy while being loyal to Christ, the incarnate Logos? That's an excellent question, the answer to which, I confess, is way beyond me. Here's what I can say, however: If you're looking for a manual on the best way of organizing and...