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Eastern Orthodox/Questions Answered by Expert Alex Anatole
| Subject | Date Asked |
| trinity | 2/10/2012 |
| Q: The grace our Lord be with you. In genesis 11 it says, "Indeed the people are one and they all have ... A: Alex, Take a look at the broader context. ******************************** Gen.11 [1] And the ... | |
| question | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: can we depict the picture of the holly trinity, as we ethiopians do? that is, one person repeated 3 ... A: Alex, The best and most theologically acceptable icon of the Trinity is that which is based on ... | |
| Divine Liturgy | 2/3/2012 |
| Q: What is the history behind the rule that a priest can serve only one Divine Liturgy a day? If the ... A: Al, I know that in the Orthodox church neither the same Priest not the same Altar may be used to ... | |
| mixed marriages | 2/2/2012 |
| Q: I am protestant and hope to be married to a coptic orthodox. I am struggling with the rules of ... A: Zoey, I must begin my answer with a couple of disclaimers. First, although the Orthodox and the ... | |
| Marriage after Divorce | 1/31/2012 |
| Q: My sister is marrying a divorced Roman Catholic man. He obtained divorce civally, but no annulment ... A: Julia, I assume your sister is Orthodox. If so, the Orthodox Church will recognize her marriage to ... | |
| Conversion | 1/12/2012 |
| Q: I wanted to gain some information about converting to the Coptic Church. My boyfriend is an Egyptian ... A: Ann, First, I am not a Copt, but I am Orthodox. Second, you need to be talking to you fiance's ... | |
| Feast of Stephen | 12/26/2011 |
| Q: In addition to Christmas we have 3 other feasts to complete the Christmas celebration. The feast of ... A: Al, We celebrate a Saint on the day of his or her death to this world and birth into the world ... | |
| Christening | 12/15/2011 |
| Q: Can a Greek Orthodox person who is married in a Civil Ceremony Christen a child? Thanking you A: Evangelia, The Orthodox Church does not recognize or approve of civil ceremonies for Orthodox ... | |
| ...a few more questions... | 12/1/2011 |
| Q: ...since I left Orthodoxy and went back to Protestantism seven years ago, what is the process of ... A: Makarios, I am not paid well enough to take on the enormously complex task of judging men's souls. ... | |
| Orthodox Catechism/beliefs | 11/29/2011 |
| Q: Is the Orthodox Catechism as intricate and complete as the Catholic one? Since the Orthodox Church ... A: Makarios, While an "Orthodox Catechism" is published once in a while, I don't know of any that have ... | |
| ...a few more questions... | 11/28/2011 |
| Q: ...since I left Orthodoxy and went back to Protestantism seven years ago, what is the process of ... A: Makarios, I sent you a link to a local Orthodox parish in my previous answer. Or you can search ... | |
| Coming back to Orthodoxy | 11/28/2011 |
| Q: ...and here I am, a Protestant missionary with my wife. We sold everything and moved to Jamaica to ... A: Macarios, Being 58 myself, I sympathize. As you have learned, becoming Orthodox is no easy task, ... | |
| Translation Query | 10/25/2011 |
| Q: I hope you can help me, My fiancee and I will be getting married in February in Greece in an ... A: Adamantia, My Greek is quite limited, but I'll do my best. ... | |
| papacy | 9/28/2011 |
| Q: I am currently trying to piece together the historical origins of the papacy. I would call myself a ... A: Ryan, I assume you have read Church history from an Orthodox perspective, Metropolitan Kallistos' ... | |
| Catholics | 9/19/2011 |
| Q: What kind of relationships should there be between Catholics and Othodoxes? A: Henrick, Roman Catholics and Orthodox can be co-workers, neighbors, friends. They can even marry, ... | |
| salvation | 9/11/2011 |
| Q: I read you answer to another persons question to this same question, you stated all are saved due to ... A: Robert, I remember my answer to that other person. And since I remember it well, I know that you ... | |
| Toll-Houses | 9/4/2011 |
| Q: Is the idea of the toll-houses an official church doctrine? St. Teophan the Recluse and others have ... A: Philip, The so-called "toll houses" are not now, and have never been official Church doctrine. At ... | |
| Greek Orthodox-Methodist wedding?? | 8/29/2011 |
| Q: I am Methodist. If I were to marry a Greek Orthodox, would I have to convert? A: Victoria, No, as a baptized Christian you may marry an Orthodox Christian man without converting. ... | |
| Sunday and sabbath | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: What do you mean with : Sunday is completely not a Sabbath? I thought for us Christians Sunday has ... A: Stephan, In virtually every European language the day we call "Saturday," the 7th day of the week, ... | |
| regarding wedding days | 7/19/2011 |
| Q: Alex, i thought i remember that you are not allowed to marry on a friday? is this true. my daughter ... A: Mary, The Orthodox Church does not perform weddings during fasts. On Wednesday of every week, we ... | |
| History of the Liturgy | 7/3/2011 |
| Q: My husband and I were discussing the Liturgy on the way home from Church this morning, and came up ... A: Jana, Excellent question! I don't believe any major changes have been made to the Liturgy of St ... | |
| same faith | 7/2/2011 |
| Q: If all Eastern Orthodoxes share the same faith then how can there be some who are against ecumenism ... A: Henrik, Because the Orthodox all share the same Faith, the same theology and the same liturgy, do ... | |
| Mother Mary | 6/23/2011 |
| Q: I am Stephan I had a discussion with a Pentecostal man about the Holiness of The Virgin Mother ... A: Stephan, First, what do we mean when we say the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is Holy? We mean ... | |
| feast days | 6/16/2011 |
| Q: Do you celebrate feast days (of a saints) like Catholics do? and if a feast day happen to fall on a ... A: Hank, We do celebrate the feast days of the Saints, and have done so since the earliest times. If ... | |
| church | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: Are we supposed to look for a Church or Jesus? Why should I search for a Church instead of Jesus ... A: Henrick, The true Church should be able to do two things. She should be able to trace teh ... | |
| church | 5/29/2011 |
| Q: Are we supposed to look for a Church or Jesus? Why should I search for a Church instead of Jesus ... A: Christ is risen! Henrick, You ask a very odd question. Your question calls into doubt Christ's ... | |
| Godparents | 5/23/2011 |
| Q: I'm an Orthodox Christian who is engaged to a Catholic. We are getting married in an orthodox ... A: Christ is risen! Vicky, You seem to be doing this right. But I am a bit confused. Godparents are ... | |
| Confession | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: I need an expert to answer my questions. Is confession necessary to do before Baptism in Orthodox? ... A: Christ is risen! Mandy, When receiving an adult convert, the usual process is to have the ... | |
| question | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: Saint Poul the apostle said that in 1cor. 1:17 "Christ did not send me to baptise" this means that ... A: Christ is risen! Deacon Abraham, St Paul the Apostle most certainly functioned as and had the ... | |
| question | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: I see that some people use the icon of black saint Mary the virgin. Is it correct? what is its ... A: Christ is risen! Deacon Abraham, There are several explanations. Because icons are written with ... | |
| question | 5/17/2011 |
| Q: Did saint Mary the virgin has sister. we believe that she is the only to her old parents. But why ... A: Christ is risen! Deacon Abraham, In Aramaic, and in the culture which spoke it, terms like ... | |
| prayers for the health of a person | 5/15/2011 |
| Q: I asked my priest when he mentions a name for the health of during a service, similar to those for ... A: Christ is risen! Michael, This depends on the circumstances. If you ask your Priest to pray for a ... | |
| question | 5/14/2011 |
| Q: I was asked by one protestant. When we pray in the church we kneel to God(to His presence in the arc ... A: Abraham, Christ is risen! God created us as spiritual and physical beings. We worship both ... | |
| Godparent's responsibility | 5/4/2011 |
| Q: Christ is risen! I have a question regarding godparent's responsibility. My 4-year-old godchild is ... A: Indeed He is risen! Barbara, First, Be sure to express your concern to your Godchild's parents. ... | |
| Christening | 5/2/2011 |
| Q: I am a Greek orthodox but my partner and his family do not follow any religion, I would wish to have ... A: Xristos anesti! Pauline, I have already answered this question. An Orthodox Godparent must be an ... | |
| question | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: please answer me to my email that our mother saint Mary has original sin from Adam or not? or do we ... A: Diacon Abraham, You have misunderstood me. The Mother of God did not sin. The Mother of God is ... | |
| question | 4/22/2011 |
| Q: grace of Jesus Christ be with all of us. we orthodox celebrate and remember feasts( the days' of of ... A: Diacon Abraham, I am not familiar with the customs of Eritreans Orthodox Christians. Our own ... | |
| question | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: please answer me to my email that our mother saint Mary has original sin from Adam or not? or do we ... A: Diacon Abraham, The Blessed Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary was born into the same fallen world as ... | |
| blood | 4/13/2011 |
| Q: If I drink the blood of a human I will be very sick, but if I drink the blood of Jesus I will be ... A: Henrik, <<If I drink the blood of a human I will be very sick, ...>> Cannibals all over the planet ... | |
| loss of salvation? | 3/20/2011 |
| Q: We are studying Adam Hamilton's "Christianity's Family Tree" and we are on Lesson Four, ... A: Lynn, There are several ways to explain salvation from the Orthodox point of view. The on the web ... | |
| Unknown Legend | 3/15/2011 |
| Q: I once read a passage about a man (non-Christian)who saw a beautiful woman naked, and his response ... A: Laurence, The story you mentioned sounds very much like an encounter an Orthodox Bishop had with a ... | |
| Making cross | 3/5/2011 |
| Q: I was watching a movie about Greek orthodox church, I sow the priest making cross with his hand ... A: Berahane, Your question was a bit unclear, but I will do my best to answer it. When I, as an ... | |
| monah | 2/16/2011 |
| Q: I would like to know, when one joins monastery and becomes monk, there are some oaths that one has ... A: Voja, I found the following at this web site. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_vows The ... | |
| Greek Philosophy | 2/1/2011 |
| Q: I apologize if this question is outside the scope of this forum. I read that the Orthodox faith ... A: Mark, I don't know where you read that statement, but, taken alone, it is very poorly worded. ... | |
| Prayer of Philaret | 1/12/2011 |
| Q: The Prayer of Philaret Metropolitan of Moscow 1800's is so inspiring I want to memorize it. I am ... A: Al, Perhaps he means that we should always be ready to be a witness to God to everyone we meet, ... | |
| Mary and St. John Maximovitch | 1/9/2011 |
| Q: In his book "The Orthodox Veneration of Mary the Birthgiver of God", St. John Maximovitch teaches ... A: David, I don't recall specific writings of the Fathers concerning the Theotokos' life in the ... | |
| anointing with oil | 1/5/2011 |
| Q: I know that anointing with oil is used for Chrismation and Unction. In the Russian church I have ... A: Al, The oil used for Chrismation is specially prepared and infused with specific ingredients. It ... | |
| making the sign of the cross | 1/3/2011 |
| Q: In my parish we make the sign of the cross during the reciting of the creed where it says"...in one ... A: Al, We make the sign of the cross when reciting the Creed where it says"...in one Holy Catholic and ... | |
| Turning the other cheek and Saint Lazar of Serbia | 1/2/2011 |
| Q: I am a Serbian Orthodox believer. One thing I don't understand is why the Church has canonized Lazar ... A: Bor, Christ also told us that if we had two cloaks we should sell one and buy a sword. Did Christ ... | |
| Turning the other cheek and Saint Lazar of Serbia | 1/1/2011 |
| Q: I am a Serbian Orthodox believer. One thing I don't understand is why the Church has canonized Lazar ... A: Bor, Christ is born! The variety among Orthodox Saints never ceases to astonish me. In the ranks ... | |
| Beliefs | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: What are the EO view on abortion when it comes to saving the mothers life? Thanks! A: Shawn, According to the Orthodox Church, aborting a pregnancy for no other reason than to prevent a ... | |
| Ordination and confirmation | 12/23/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what the prayer (or prayers as the case may be) in the Orthodox church for the rite ... A: Martin, If you had taken to time to look at the contents of the web site I sent, you would have ... | |
| Ordination and confirmation | 12/22/2010 |
| Q: I was wondering what the prayer (or prayers as the case may be) in the Orthodox church for the rite ... A: Martin, The following link should answer the first part of your question. It is very technical in ... | |
| What year did the crucifixion take place? | 12/17/2010 |
| Q: Many people present many different ideas of when the crucifixion of Christ actually took place (some ... A: David, Since you asked for the official Orthodox dating of the Crucifixion, here it is: Christ was ... | |
| Orthodox Baptism Practice Of Striking The Child | 12/10/2010 |
| Q: Rev. Peter Gomes delivered a sermon on 9/23/2001 titled "Outer Turmoil, Inner Strength" which was ... A: Thomas, I myself was Baptized an Orthodox Christian over 57 years ago, as an infant. While I ... | |
| Immersion Baptism for Infants | 12/3/2010 |
| Q: . So which one is it? A: Alex, The proper way to immerse an infant is for the Priest to cover the infants face with his hand ... | |
| Greek orthodox customs regarding death/mourning? | 11/29/2010 |
| Q: i know its usually custom to have 40 days of mourning after a close family member passes away. i ... A: Peter, Your question does not relate to the theology, history, or liturgics of Orthodoxy. It is a ... | |
| Can a protestant prophesize? | 11/18/2010 |
| Q: I am an Orthodox Christian from Korea. And I happened to see a Kenyan pastor who claims to be a ... A: Koreli, First, the Holy Spirit moves where He wills. I know where the Holy Spirit is, but I do not ... | |
| The resurrection | 10/14/2010 |
| Q: I would like to ask, how does the resurrection of Jesus Christ differ from other recorded ... A: Patricia, The resurrection of Christ is unique in several ways. 1) Christ's resurrection is not ... | |
| annulment in the greek orthodox religion | 10/13/2010 |
| Q: I'm in a civil divorce process with my soon to be ex-wife. I want to know how to go about getting ... A: John, First, my deepest condolences. It is always a tragedy when a marriage fails. Second, the ... | |
| Original of the Orthodox Church | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to find out when the Orthodox church began. Do you know? If so, can you also show me the ... A: Dave, In the time of the Apostles, the Church was simply called "the Way," or "the Church." Only ... | |
| Original of the Orthodox Church | 10/4/2010 |
| Q: I'm trying to find out when the Orthodox church began. Do you know? If so, can you also show me the ... A: Dave, The "birthday" of the Orthodox Church as we know her today is generally dated to Pentecost, ... | |
| 7 year tribulation | 9/30/2010 |
| Q: The premillennial view of prophecy teaches that there will be a seven year tribulation ... A: Alberto, The Orthodox Church does not engage in divination, reading tea leaves, gazing into crystal ... | |
| raising of the hands | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: I am an orthodox christain, each sunday I lift my hands when the priest says let us lift up our ... A: Deloris, Over the centuries many customs have faded away and others have been added. I remember ... | |
| Jesus | 9/8/2010 |
| Q: When I look at icons of Jesus I see many with Jesus not wearing a head-covering. Why is it so? I ... A: Hank, Christ's Disciples and Apostles were Jews as well. Are they shown wearing a head covering in ... | |
| About contradictions | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: Bless you, I talked with a friend of mine and he gave me this site which handles contradictions in ... A: Boris, The writers of the various books and letters which comprise the Canon of Scripture were not ... | |
| weddings | 8/26/2010 |
| Q: Is an Orthodox Christian allowed to hold the wedding rings at a Protestant wedding? A: Mike, An Orthodox Christian may neither receive any of the Sacraments nor directly participate in ... | |
| attending a service | 8/17/2010 |
| Q: I would dearly love my friend from school days to attend, but having married a man converted to ... A: Venita, Your friend's husband is mistaken. An orthodox Christian may not receive the Sacraments ... | |
| Myrrh streaming icons. | 8/11/2010 |
| Q: From time to time we hear that so and so icon is myrrh steaming,this time was a computer printout ... A: Pete, The phrase, "As we believe, so we worship. As we worship, so we believe" does not mean "Shut ... | |
| communion in the eastern orthodox faith | 8/6/2010 |
| Q: I am divorced and remarried and am not a member of the eastern orthodox church. I am very ... A: Pamela, While a failed marriage is not a recommendation, neither is it an obstacle to being an ... | |
| Greek Orthodox & relationships | 8/1/2010 |
| Q: So I was recently in sort of a relationship with this guy who is seriously Greek Orthodox. We ... A: Suzy, Why you are surprised that this - or any other man - thinks of you in a "lustful manner" is ... | |
| John Chrysostom | 7/29/2010 |
| Q: John Chrysostom is held in high esteem by the Orthodox Church as one of the greatest theologians, ... A: Alberto, This might be a good question to post in my forum. I have often said that even the ... | |
| Wedding assitance | 7/27/2010 |
| Q: Simple Question Can i get married in Greece in the Greek Orthodox Church if i have my catholic ... A: Chris, This is not a theology or history question. As far as I know, other than the documents you ... | |
| what is the best way to bring people in to Christianity? | 7/25/2010 |
| Q: how can i convert people to Christianity, what does God expect me to do? should i do it through ... A: Ramiro, St Seraphim of Sarov said, "Aquire the Holy Spirit and thousands around you will be saved." ... | |
| ceremont at 40 days after death | 7/22/2010 |
| Q: I am catholic but my recently deceased wife's family was Eastern Orthodox. At 40 days after a ... A: William. Oil and wine, both separately and together, have several meanings. Oil is a sign of God's ... | |
| Roman Catholic Church | 7/15/2010 |
| Q: It seems like the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church are very similar,and teach almost ... A: Alberto, The most fundamental difference between the Orthodox Church and Roman Catholicism is that ... | |
| Greek Orthodox Church | 7/4/2010 |
| Q: I was baptised in the Church of England and no longer attend the church as I am not in agreement ... A: Samantha, Orthodoxy, once a well kept secret in the Christian West, is now being discovered by ... | |
| miracles and true religion | 6/18/2010 |
| Q: i came to the conclusion that both in Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism we have alot of ... A: Ramiro, THE ORTHODOX CHURCH by Timothy Ware, one of the best introductions to Orthodoxy ever ... | |
| Holy Spirit | 6/2/2010 |
| Q: Since we believe that the Holy Spirit is God third person of the Trinity, why aren't there any ... A: Al, If the Holy Trinity were to have a silent partner, it would be the Holy Spirit. We deduce from ... | |
| Intercession of the saints | 5/26/2010 |
| Q: hey i have been trying to find scripture to support various traditions whenever i talk to priests ... A: Anthony, First, it is the Church which, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, produced, ... | |
| free will? | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: I recently overheard a friendly but spirited conversation regarding some differences between ... A: Daniel, You have asked two very interesting questions! First, let's take a look at how Orthodoxy ... | |
| English Bible | 5/23/2010 |
| Q: Is there an English Bible which does not incorporate the St Jerome Roman Court room scene into ... A: David, <<Is there an English Bible which does not incorporate the St Jerome Roman Court room scene ... | |
| What requirements are needed to marry an Eastern Orthodox man? | 5/15/2010 |
| Q: I have fallen in love with a man who is Eastern Orthodox, however I don't celebrate any religion ... A: Amber, Please believe me when I say that I wish you all the joy in the world. But I am deeply ... | |
| Second Coming of Christ | 5/13/2010 |
| Q: What will happen at the Second Coming of Christ to this earth,according to the teaching of the ... A: Carlos, Orthodoxy does not concern itself with the exact details and timetable of Christ's return. ... | |
| traditions about Assumption | 5/10/2010 |
| Q: There seem to be various traditions of exactly how the Dormition and Assumption of Mary took place. ... A: Alberto, The Dormition of the Theotokos is not mentioned in the Canon of Scripture. It is, ... | |
| newcovpub@aol.com | 5/7/2010 |
| Q: There is much in the Protevangeliun of James that supports the teachings about Mary taught by the ... A: Christ is risen! Carlos, Orthodoxy considers the Protevangelion of James reliable enough to ... | |
| Post Easter themes | 4/30/2010 |
| Q: First of all let me commend you for your firm answer to the Asian man who wanted to convert to ... A: Christ is risen! Al, Thanks for your support! My answers do not always get a warm reception. As ... | |
| Marriage | 4/25/2010 |
| Q: I am an Asian American who has recently fallen for an Egyptian Coptic woman. I know that I want to ... A: Sns, 1) If you find God's Church among the Copts, then convert for that reason and that reason ... | |
| Marriage | 4/23/2010 |
| Q: I am an Asian American who has recently fallen for an Egyptian Coptic woman. I know that I want to ... A: Christ is risen! Sns, First, I must say that I'm not in favor of converting to ANY religion just ... | |
| The number 40 | 4/9/2010 |
| Q: What is the significane of 40 days in the orthodox church and not 30,20, etc. ? A: Christ is risen! Candice, Throughout the Old and New Testaments certain numbers are used in a ... | |
| Godparent/Baptism/Wedding question | 4/5/2010 |
| Q: My brother is getting married to someone who has never been baptised before and has asked me to ... A: Kalliopi. Xristos anesti! First, let me thank you for not asking me if an exception can be made to ... | |
| Nazerenes | 3/30/2010 |
| Q: In the First Century, the original Messianic Jews, (those Jews who truly converted to Christianity) ... A: Seraphim, It is absolutely true that the first followers of Christ were Jews. These Christian Jews ... | |
| Greek Christening | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: Its me again - My question today is, when the baby is taken aside to be undressed and redressed ... A: Melanie, I'd let the Godmother take the lead, but I think as many as will fit can lend a hand. Ask ... | |
| Getting married during a fasting period | 3/25/2010 |
| Q: Mr. Anatole, I am a 30 year old female, Russian/Romanian Orthodox. My fiance is a Christian, but ... A: Elena, As you have discovered, the Orthodox Church does not perform weddings during periods of ... | |
| Catholic/Orthodox - Mariage | 3/24/2010 |
| Q: My fiance is Catholic and I'm Greek Orthodox. If we get married in the Orthodox church, will he be ... A: Maria, It is my understanding that the Church of Rome recognizes accepts Orthodox Sacraments as ... | |
| Russian Orthodox Weddings | 3/21/2010 |
| Q: I am Russian Orthodox having an interfaith wedding. Having seen only one or two Russian Orthodox ... A: Ann, I'm a little confused by your use of the term "interfaith wedding." Orthodox clergy do not ... | |
| Orthodox Christianity and the Ottomans | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: I would also like to know some major effects of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople on the ... A: John, What we know as the Orthodox Church has gone by a variety of names over the centuries. In ... | |
| Orthodox Christianity and the Ottomans | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: I would also like to know some major effects of the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople on the ... A: John, Books, many large books, have been written on this subject! I will not attempt to reproduce ... | |
| Orthodox Christianity and the Latin Conquest | 3/16/2010 |
| Q: Hope your well, I wanted to know if you could briefly highlight the ways in which the capture of ... A: John, Books, many large books, have been written on this subject! I will not attempt to reproduce ... | |
| Post Poscha | 3/15/2010 |
| Q: I noticed on my Orthodox small window opening calendar for each Sunday that there is a continuous ... A: Al, The annual celebration of Pascha actually occupies nearly half of the year. It begins with the ... | |
| True Orthodoxy | 3/12/2010 |
| Q: As a one year ago convert to Orthodoxy I get confused when I see on the internet some groups calling ... A: Al, Unfortunately there are some imitation Orthodox groups out there. As a new convert, you'll ... | |
| fasting | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: i know in jesus' time fasting meant abstaining from all food. where did the not eating meat come ... A: Nick, Orthodoxy believes that Christ is the Person of two natures, Divine and human, and that the ... | |
| fasting | 3/8/2010 |
| Q: i know in jesus' time fasting meant abstaining from all food. where did the not eating meat come ... A: Nick, Totally abstaining from food is a very extreme form of fasting, but not the only kind. Nor ... | |
| Confusion | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: I am an English grandmother,and a member of the Church of England.My youngest daughter is married to ... A: Joy, The Mystery (Sacrament) of Communion is the ultimate act of unity within the Church. In ... | |
| memorials | 3/2/2010 |
| Q: After a loved one passes away, why do we do a 3 day, 9day and 40 day memorial? what do these days ... A: Dora, The funerary rites of the Orthodox Church are designed to accomplish several purposes. They ... | |
| shellfish | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: Why are we allowed to eat shellfish during the fast when it is forbidden in the Old Testament? A: Al, This is actually two questions in one. For clarity, permit me to separate them. 1) Why are ... | |
| christening of baby in greek orthdox church by a non greek orthdox person | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: I will be christening my 3rd son in the Greek orthodox church as i have done with my other 2 boys. ... A: Melanie, You ask if the Protestant church is Orthodox. First, there are a multitude of Protestant ... | |
| christening of baby in greek orthdox church by a non greek orthdox person | 2/28/2010 |
| Q: I will be christening my 3rd son in the Greek orthodox church as i have done with my other 2 boys. ... A: I will answer your questions as correctly, truthfully, and honestly as I can. But I must warn you ... | |
| Coliva | 2/22/2010 |
| Q: I have attended the Greek Orthodox Church and do not understand what the meaning of Coliva the wheat ... A: Carol, Wheat is used as a symbol for several reasons. 1) It reminds us of Christ, Who is the ... | |
| valid marriage | 2/13/2010 |
| Q: are any marriages entered into before converting to eastern orthodox valid? A: Bob, Actually, most marriages that happen outside the Orthodox Church are accepted when one or both ... | |
| hell/hades | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: I just wanted to clarify an answer you gave to a question dated 2/5/10 regarding icons. you gave ... A: Tim, Orthodoxy has never made the overly precise distinctions among the terms Hell, Hades, Gehenna, ... | |
| Orthodox Baptismal garments | 2/12/2010 |
| Q: I design christening gowns and I have had an enquiry from a lady in Cyprus asking me to create her ... A: Linda, Traditionally, a Baptismal garment is a white robe. Period. It can be as simple as a bed ... | |
| images | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: I just took a college course on Orthodoxy and am impressed by all the beauty of the icons and images ... A: Don, First, let me give you a couple of web sites. One is of a Russian Orthodox monastery in New ... | |
| English bible | 2/5/2010 |
| Q: How is that Orthodox teachers whether they are theologians,priests,or bishops can agree on all that ... A: Al, At the 1st Council of Nicea tempers ran so hot that inkwells were thrown. St Nicholas slapped ... | |
| sinlessness of Mary | 2/3/2010 |
| Q: The Orthodox Church teaches that Mary was sinless, that she never committed any actual or personal ... A: David, You obviously don't believe any of the authors of the Scriptures used a sweeping generality. ... | |
| Marrying outside the Orthodox church | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: My partner and I are discussing marriage at the moment and I was wondering what would be the stance ... A: Yianna, 1) You are planning to marry a non-Christian. 2) You are planning to marry in a ... | |
| sinlessness of Mary | 2/2/2010 |
| Q: The Orthodox Church teaches that Mary was sinless, that she never committed any actual or personal ... A: David, The Church celebrates the feasts of the Conception, Nativity, Presentation in the Temple, ... | |
| Rom. 4:5 | 1/26/2010 |
| Q: How does the Orthodox Church interpret Romans 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in ... A: David, Romans 4:5, taken in isolation, is totally meaningless. Ignore the artificial verse numbers ... | |
| fasting | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: When did the practice of fasting before receiving communion begin and why is it important? A: Al, Remember that fasting was a practice of the Jews long before the coming of Christ. Christ ... | |
| the hereafter | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: First, thanks for everything, I love this website so far, and appreciate your experts' faith and ... A: Charles, You have asked a frequently asked question. Forgive me for "recycling" a previous answer, ... | |
| justification | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: How is a person justified according to the teaching of the Orthodox Church? Does the teaching of the ... A: David, You have asked an interesting question! In the Scriptures the word "salvation" is used in ... | |
| atonement? | 1/22/2010 |
| Q: What was the purpose of the lambs that were sacrificed every year on the Day of Atonement (Yom ... A: David, The lambs offered had to be perfect, without blemish. They were slaughtered by the most ... | |
| saints | 1/20/2010 |
| Q: My question is, how does a saint get the title, saint ? Thanks Tim A: Tim, Good question! Let me begin by asking the one you didn't ask. 1# How does a person become a ... | |
| queen of heaven | 1/18/2010 |
| Q: I went to the Orthodox Christian Way Delphi Forum of which you mentioned and found some interesting ... A: David, Thanks for visiting the forum! I look forward to seeing you post there. You will meet many ... | |
| 7 Ecumenical Councils | 1/15/2010 |
| Q: Is there anything in the first 7 Ecumenical Councils that is false or incorrect or are they perfect ... A: David, You are on the brink of discovering one of the most wonderful and terrifying truths of ... | |
| 7 Ecumenical Councils | 1/14/2010 |
| Q: Is there anything in the first 7 Ecumenical Councils that is false or incorrect or are they perfect ... A: David, The decisions of the seven are like a handful of coins. All the coins are money. But not ... | |
| Greek Orthodox & Protestant wedding | 1/13/2010 |
| Q: My fiance is Greek Orthodox and I am Methodist. My family is very religious and his family is very ... A: Abby, Being in the 6th decade of my life, I have experienced a few things you have not yet ... | |
| Romans 5:12 | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: How does the Orthodox Church interpret Romans 5:12? Romans 5:15, Romans 5:19? Does the Orthodox ... A: David, I have already answered your question. Romans 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered ... | |
| Greek Orthodox & Protestant wedding | 1/12/2010 |
| Q: My fiance is Greek Orthodox and I am Methodist. My family is very religious and his family is very ... A: Abby, No. Orthodox clergy do not, cannot, and are canonically forbidden to concelebrate with ... | |
| Romans 5:12 | 1/11/2010 |
| Q: How does the Orthodox Church interpret Romans 5:12? Romans 5:15, Romans 5:19? Does the Orthodox ... A: David, Human nature is defined in Genesis 1:26-27. Our nature is to be images (icons) of God. The ... | |
| godparents | 1/8/2010 |
| Q: I have a couple of wuestions about choosing godparents for our first born daughter. Our Koumbaro at ... A: Jamie, Over the centuries, the customs of various Orthodox churches have developed many and varied ... | |
| liturgy | 1/6/2010 |
| Q: Why are Divine Liturgies held on some weekdays when most can not attend? A: Al, Because that's where the feast days happen to fall. Centuries ago, when most people worked at ... | |
| QUESTION | 1/1/2010 |
| Q: What is the Orthodox Churches stance about the salvation of those OUTSIDE of it? Do you think ... A: Raul, As an Orthodox Christian, I don't even know my own fate. How can I possibly know yours? ... | |
| Spiritualism and Orthodox christianity | 12/22/2009 |
| Q: I am a practicing Spiritualist who is thinking of becoming Orthodox Christian, through the influence ... A: Ian, To properly answer your question, I would have to know your definition of "spiritualist," as ... | |
| Prayers for the dead | 12/17/2009 |
| Q: The anniversary of the passing of my mother is approaching and I would like prayers said for her. ... A: Al, This is one of those areas where current usage varies. Do as the Priest suggests and trust God ... | |
| Trinity | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: The Trinity I know is beyond human comprehension so I am having difficulty forming my question but ... A: Al, God is Trinity because God is three Persons of one Essence. This has not changed. What has ... | |
| Convert from Catholic to Greek Orthodox | 12/14/2009 |
| Q: I was baptized Catholic have lived and attended mass in Greece for over fifteen years. I would like ... A: Caroline, Conversion usually takes about a year. This is to allow the candidate to learn something ... | |
| Mary and Joseph's family | 12/10/2009 |
| Q: There is one thing that puzzles me about Christ's birth. Why didn't Mary and Joseph's families come ... A: Don, Not everything the Church knows or believes made it into the Canon of Scripture. The writings ... | |
| symbolism. | 11/29/2009 |
| Q: i go to a catholic school mainly because of the superior education and athletics. My moral issues ... A: Nick, I went to a Roman Catholic high school and college for the same reason. Numbers are used ... | |
| greek orthodox/roman catholic | 11/23/2009 |
| Q: my boyfriend and his family want our son to be baptized as a Greek orthodox like he was but i was ... A: I will answer your questions as correctly, truthfully, and honestly as I can. But I must warn you ... | |
| greek orthodox/roman catholic | 11/21/2009 |
| Q: my boyfriend and his family want our son to be baptized as a Greek orthodox like he was but i was ... A: Jay, You do indeed have a dilemma. You have several of them. Your message is short on details, so ... | |
| Christians and killing | 11/17/2009 |
| Q: My questions arise from a conflict I have in resolving the idea of a Christian killing another human ... A: Daniel, Remember that God is the Author of life. Death, as the end of life, is always contrary to ... | |
| marriage | 11/13/2009 |
| Q: Father Anatole, My Fiance is Catholic and we will be married in the Catholic church; my home town ... A: Stephen, First, I am NOT "Father" anything. I am an unordained Orthodox Christian. Second, where ... | |
| Mary's Sinlessness | 11/12/2009 |
| Q: One of the greatest hurdles for a Protestant moving to Orthodoxy are the various traditions ... A: Damiel, I have a Godson who loved everything about Orthodoxy except for the iconography. He ... | |
| Laity in the Orthodox Church | 11/10/2009 |
| Q: I am curious about the role of the laity in the Orthodox church. When I was a Roman Catholic the ... A: Anil, Unlike Rome, which attempted to maintain unity by enforcing a common language of worship ... | |
| Marriage | 11/2/2009 |
| Q: On 7/23/08 you answered a question by Harmony about marriage. In your response to her question you ... A: Daniel, Please forgive me. I erred in not making it clear that my answer was based on the current ... | |
| History of Eastern Church | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: With my retirement, I have developed a sincere interest in the history of the early so called ... A: Michael, Although Orthodox history does have its bloodier moments, it doesn't even approach the ... | |
| Theotokos | 10/31/2009 |
| Q: I have converted (or reverted) to Orthodoxy from a Protestant tradition. I understand the concept of ... A: Daniel, Exactly! Acquiring the mind of Christ, learning to see things from God's perspective, is ... | |
| Are all saved? | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I noticed a number of questions that you responded to regarding salvation. From what you say in your ... A: Daniel, You may have seen this before. If so, please forgive me for repeating myself. In the ... | |
| Theotokos | 10/30/2009 |
| Q: I have converted (or reverted) to Orthodoxy from a Protestant tradition. I understand the concept of ... A: Daniel, First, welcome home! Second, remember the first rule of Orthodox liturgics: If it's worth ... | |
| An orthdox view on marriage | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I am soon to be married. In prepartion for this I am reading "Preserve them oh Lord" by Fr. Mack. In ... A: Al, I am not familiar with Fr Mack's writings. The importance of marriage in the Orthodox Church ... | |
| The Reformation | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: The celebration of the Reformation will be celebrated this coming weekend. Depending on which branch ... A: Al, Forget the theology for a moment. Just do the arithmetic. After the split, Rome was on one ... | |
| examples in OT that Jesus was coming | 10/26/2009 |
| Q: Alex, Please can you give me several examples in the old Testament regarding the coming of the Lord ... A: Tim, Moses parting the Red Sea is taken as a prefigurement of Christ. The burning bush is taken as ... | |
| The Reformation | 10/25/2009 |
| Q: The celebration of the Reformation will be celebrated this coming weekend. Depending on which branch ... A: Al, Why didn't the Reformation spread over to the Orthodox churches? Because we we didn't need it. ... | |
| The See of St. Peter | 10/21/2009 |
| Q: I am in complete agreement. Perhaps the wording of my previous question was unclear. I suppose what ... A: Katherina, <<Why was the Roman Church given primacy of honour in the early church?>> Because Rome ... | |
| The See of St. Peter | 10/20/2009 |
| Q: I am an Orthodox Christian. I have a question regarding why Catholics and Orthodox have such varied ... A: Katherina, We are not separated from Rome. Rome separates itself from us. And here is how they ... | |
| music | 10/15/2009 |
| Q: this may seem like an odd question. How significant is music (modern and old) in religion both now ... A: Tim, Music has always been an indispensable part of corporate worship, and this is true of every ... | |
| marriage | 10/13/2009 |
| Q: From an orthodox perspective does Matt.19:6 teach that God brings two specific people together for ... A: Arlangole, Matt.19 [3] The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it ... | |
| Entry | 10/6/2009 |
| Q: I am a Christian. The more I study Orthodoxy I believe you have the true communion and most of your ... A: Paul, I did answer your question - but not in the way you wanted to hear. No one will force you to ... | |
| Entry | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: I am a Christian. The more I study Orthodoxy I believe you have the true communion and most of your ... A: Paul, The Feast of the Assumption of the Theotokos is a major feast on the Orthodox liturgical ... | |
| salvation | 9/26/2009 |
| Q: First of all I should point out that I am not a Christian, I am a convert (revert) to Islam from a ... A: Having declared that you have no intention of converting to Christianity, I fail to see why I should ... | |
| Question About Infant Baptism | 9/21/2009 |
| Q: I need some clarification about Orthodox baptism of infants. I was baptized as a Roman Catholic, and ... A: Amanda, The church of Rome departed from the Apostolic Faith over a thousand years ago. What ... | |
| Question About Infant Baptism | 9/19/2009 |
| Q: I need some clarification about Orthodox baptism of infants. I was baptized as a Roman Catholic, and ... A: Amanda, The Orthodox Church has been Baptizing naked babies by full immersion (that's what ... | |
| cross | 9/16/2009 |
| Q: The orthodox recently celebrated the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. How does the church deal with ... A: Al, Even the Fathers have an off day now and then. If St John Chrysostom was speaking literally of ... | |
| complicated question about a divorce | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I am catholic and god married to a Greek Orthodox woman. Our life together was unhappy. After nearly ... A: George, If your wife commits adultery, you have two choices. 1) Forgive her, and do what you can ... | |
| Any hope for marriage | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I'm a baptized Orthodox who is currently married by civic ceremony to a unbaptized man who holds no ... A: Olga, Orthodoxy does not permit marriage between an Orthodox Christian and a non-Christian. Nor ... | |
| complicated question about a divorce | 9/13/2009 |
| Q: I am catholic and god married to a Greek Orthodox woman. Our life together was unhappy. After nearly ... A: George, My deepest condolences on the failure of your marriage. The Orthodox Church does not grant ... | |
| Eternal Happiness | 9/5/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me what is Eternal Happiness? Can you give me a diagram of how the process works? A: Henry, In the first chapter of Genesis, in verses 26 and 27, we learn that God created mankind in ... | |
| Syriac Orthodoxy vs. Non-denonminational | 9/2/2009 |
| Q: What are the differences between of a non-denominational church as to a Syriac Orthodox Church? ... A: Nicole, If by "non-denominational" you mean some single congregation Protestant sect, then there ... | |
| Ignosticism | 8/31/2009 |
| Q: How do you answer to Ignosticism or the theological noncognitivist position? It's the position not ... A: Jonathan, People who are determined to not believe will not be swayed by any evidence or argument. ... | |
| 40 days after death | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: Please can you explain the significance of the 40 day memorial service after someones death? ... A: Tim, We have almost no clue what happens after we die. We pray for our departed because we love ... | |
| 40 days after death | 8/29/2009 |
| Q: Please can you explain the significance of the 40 day memorial service after someones death? A: Tim, In the Scriptures, 40 is used as a symbolic number. It is the number which represents a long ... | |
| Greek Black orthodox komboskini Cross necklace with blue bead what does it mean/represent? | 8/14/2009 |
| Q: I have a greek orthodox Black komboskini Cross necklace with blue bead what does it mean/represent? ... A: Kylie. It represents the cross - that thing they nailed Jesus to. It's knotted because un-knotted ... | |
| greek/armenian wedding and baptism | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: My husband is greek orthodox and i am Armenian orthodox(gregorian). We got married in the Armenian ... A: Stapanie, Technically, the Armenians are not in Communion with the Orthodox. But the situation is ... | |
| communion | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: Why would it be wrong for an orthodox christian to take communion from another christian church such ... A: Al, The Mystery (Sacrament) of Communion within the Orthodox Church is not a mere memorial. It is ... | |
| Funeral Rites | 8/6/2009 |
| Q: My Bulgarian step father passed away and we are preparing for a 40 day remembrance service at the ... A: Maria, My deepest condolences. May his memory be eternal. I believe Russians and other Slavs call ... | |
| main difference between christianity with the church of england & greek orthodox | 7/31/2009 |
| Q: please could you tell me the main differences between greek orthodox & the church of england. i have ... A: Gemma, You raise several interesting and important questions. Let's' take them one at a time. << ... | |
| 1 Tim | 7/29/2009 |
| Q: I have been reading First Timothy and have a few questions ... I will simply refer to the passages ... A: Rami, First of all, the verses you site need to be understood in the contest of the time, place, ... | |
| Ten Commandments | 7/28/2009 |
| Q: I have been doing some research on the ten commandments and it appears that the ten commandments are ... A: Nick, Liturgically, the Orthodox still start the day at sunset and end it the following sunset. ... | |
| Ten Commandments | 7/27/2009 |
| Q: I have been doing some research on the ten commandments and it appears that the ten commandments are ... A: Nick, Orthodoxy sees the Old Testament as a prophesy pointing toward the New Testament. We see the ... | |
| Which Saints? | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you would be able to tell which Saints are depicted on this cross. ... A: Michael, In the center is the icon of the Theotokos, calling all to faith in her Son, Jesus, the ... | |
| destination baptism | 7/24/2009 |
| Q: I have a question about a "destination" baptism. I am having my second child and we are considering ... A: Laura, You never converted to Greek Orthodoxy. You converted to ORTHODOXY! Jesus wasn't Greek. ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Church | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: Why did the One Christian Church divide into Eastern and Catholic Churches A: Hasani, Have you ever heard of the "Filioque?" If so, do you know it's history and impact? The ... | |
| Canon Prayers | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I am aware of prayers such as canons for the sick and departed (as well as those to Christ and ... A: Christopher, Perhaps I need to know what you mean by the term "lost"? Do you mean lost ... | |
| Canon Prayers | 7/21/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I am aware of prayers such as canons for the sick and departed (as well as those to Christ and ... A: Christopher, Orthodoxy does indeed have a wealth of prayers, many composed by Saints and ... | |
| Godparents | 7/20/2009 |
| Q: I am Greek Orthodox and a friend of mine who is a Christian but not Greek Orthodox has asked me to ... A: Alexia, This is a bad idea for several reasons. 1) As an Orthodox Christian, you would risk ... | |
| Greeks and worship | 7/17/2009 |
| Q: Upon becoming an Orthodox Christian, i found out that the Greeks in Greece have a very low church ... A: Michelle, The answer to your question is as shameful as it is simple. The Orthodox in Greece (and ... | |
| Godparents | 7/14/2009 |
| Q: My wife and I are both Greek Orthodox and expecting our second child. It is very important to us ... A: Marios, First, congratulations on expected birth of your second child! Second, in my experience it ... | |
| theology/dogma | 7/12/2009 |
| Q: I have been told that the 15 separate but equal patriarchs have the exact same theology. Since I ... A: Margaret, All Orthodox jurisdictions recite the same Nicene Creed. All serve the same liturgy. ... | |
| question | 7/8/2009 |
| Q: What does the Church believe about other Church which are not part of the orthodox faith but have ... A: Raul, There are a couple of Orthodox parishes somewhat closer to you than San Antonio. Here is the ... | |
| question | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: What does the Church believe about other Church which are not part of the orthodox faith but have ... A: Raul, Orthodoxy is still very young in this country I assume you're in the USA.) There are, ... | |
| question | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: What does the Church believe about other Church which are not part of the orthodox faith but have ... A: Raul, When non-Orthodox churches teach Orthodox doctrine, we rejoice that they have preserved some ... | |
| newborn baptism | 7/7/2009 |
| Q: I'll be godfather to a friends newborn baby. What exactly do I need to buy for the baptism? A: John, Congratulations! It is a great honor, and a greater responsibility, to assume the task of ... | |
| baptism | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: does an adult need a godparent already a christian? A: Katie, I just answered your first and more detailed question. But if this portion of my answer was ... | |
| baptism | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: I would like to become married in a church in Sveti Vlas in Bulgaria. We have been told that it is ... A: Katie, If I understand you correctly, your only interest in Orthodoxy is your desire to hold your ... | |
| question | 7/5/2009 |
| Q: Exactly what relationship does the Church have with non orthodox Members it sounds like its no ... A: Raul, <<Exactly what relationship does the Church have with non orthodox Members it sounds like its ... | |
| Online Seminarys | 6/30/2009 |
| Q: Brother in Christ do you know any good online orthodox Seminarys? And does your Church allow ... A: Raul, Orthodoxy ordains married men to the offices of Deacon and Priest. But men who are already ... | |
| Gnomic Will vs. Essential Will | 6/28/2009 |
| Q: I was confused as to one aspect of this topic. The Sixth Ecumenical Council declared that in the ... A: Christopher, Christ has two essential wills because he is the Hypostasis (Person) of two essences ... | |
| Trading on Sunday | 6/15/2009 |
| Q: I run a small shop working 6 days a week. On Sunday i do not work, however my part time employee, ... A: Tim, First, the Sabbath is from sunset Friday till sunset Saturday. No part of Sunday is the ... | |
| defiled hands | 6/10/2009 |
| Q: If a priest is living in habitual sin,does God still answer his prayers in consecrating the ... A: Al, I've already answered your question, but perhaps I did not make myself perfectly clear. We ... | |
| defiled hands | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: If a priest is living in habitual sin,does God still answer his prayers in consecrating the ... A: Al, Who among us does not sin? The idea that a Priest or Bishop who is a sinner is unworthy and ... | |
| batisam | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: I was baptised in a prodasint churchas as child 63 years ago.I have not attended and have not ... A: Darrell, As the Nicene Creed says, we believe in one Baptism. If you have been baptized in the ... | |
| Non-Christian baptism into Greek Orthodox | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: I was brought up as not Christian nor following any religion, although I am not an Atheist. I now ... A: Angela, The only reason to be baptized is to become a follower of Christ. The Orthodox Church ... | |
| Difference in churches | 6/8/2009 |
| Q: What is the difference in a Coptic Orthodox Church and Eastern Orthodox Church? ANSWER: Tammy, ... A: Tammy, Relations between the Orthodox and the Copts are very close and cooperative, and have been ... | |
| organ donors | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: Alex, what does our faith tell us regarding organ and blood donation while alive / dead? A: Tim, Several yars ago I wrotean editorial piece on the orthodox view of organ donation. My Bishop ... | |
| Difference in churches | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: What is the difference in a Coptic Orthodox Church and Eastern Orthodox Church? A: Tammy, Strictly speaking, the Copts believe that Jesus has one nature, a blend of divine and human ... | |
| Orthodox | 5/24/2009 |
| Q: Fr Anthonny A: Christ is risen! Fr Anthony, Orthodoxy is not a big proponent of standardized educational ... | |
| other planets | 5/22/2009 |
| Q: My question is, what does our faith tell us about the creation of other planets and why there's no ... A: Christos anesti! Tim, Do you remember the Scriptural account of the encounter of the Theotokos ... | |
| other planets | 5/21/2009 |
| Q: My question is, what does our faith tell us about the creation of other planets and why there's no ... A: Christ is risen! Tim, Orthodoxy spends very little time speculating about questions which don't ... | |
| angels | 5/17/2009 |
| Q: In one of my orthodox sources I notice angels sometimes are called guardian angels. Why would they ... A: Christ is risen! Al, "Angel" means "messenger." Throughout the Scriptures, Angels serve as ... | |
| armenian Gregorians | 5/12/2009 |
| Q: My husband is an Armenian Gregorian. As far as im aware he shares the same religion as me(orthodox). ... A: Christ is risen! Margarita, Technically, Armenians are monophysites. Their church teaches that ... | |
| Chiliasm and the Fathers. | 5/11/2009 |
| Q: I have been reading the Fathers and I notice that the majority of Ante-Nicene Fathers believe in ... A: Christ is risen! Ray, The first generation of Christians also believed that Christ would return in ... | |
| NIETSZCHE AND THE WORSHIP OF GOD | 5/10/2009 |
| Q: The philosopher Nietszche said that he could not believe in a God who wants to be praised all the ... A: Christ is risen! Mike, God did not create us because He was lonely, or because there is anything ... | |
| baptism | 5/7/2009 |
| Q: The questions below are being asked as result of a nasty feud between me and a woman called Kay. We ... A: Christ is risen! Margirita, 1) While the Orthodox church does not marry Orthodox Christians to ... | |
| Canon law on marriage | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: Is marriage between first cousins once removed forbidden by canon law? A: Christ is risen! Basil, Cousin: The child of one's uncle or aunt. Children of brothers or ... | |
| Armenian Baptism | 5/4/2009 |
| Q: I was baptized, confirmed & married in the Armenian Apostolic Church, when I die, will I be able to ... A: Janet, I suspect there is some information missing from your question. Therefore my answer will ... | |
| greek orthodox baptism gift | 4/28/2009 |
| Q: I am interested in finding out saint info. My friend's baby's name is Asher and I wanted to get a ... A: Christ is risen! Marissa, An icon of the child's patron Saint would be most appropriate as a ... | |
| The Eucharist | 4/27/2009 |
| Q: I was told by a Protestant that the Early Church Fahers was agaisnt eating actual body and blood of ... A: Christ is risen! Ray, I never tire of the stories Protestants invent to dismiss the Gospel. I ... | |
| Differences | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: Christ is Risen!! I am contacting you in hopes to help me understand the religion in which my ... A: Christ is risen! Erin, I understand your experience. Having been born to Orthodox parents, and ... | |
| Theosis | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: Could you please explain how the Resurrection and Theosis can both be accepted as Truth? ANSWER: ... A: Matt, Christ saved the whole cosmos, and mankind in particular, from enslavement to death and sin. ... | |
| Theosis | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: Could you please explain how the Resurrection and Theosis can both be accepted as Truth? A: Christ is risen! Matt, You have asked an interesting question! In the Scriptures the word ... | |
| Orthodox and Lutherans | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I was curious if you thought there might be some hope of union between Lutherans and the Eastern ... A: Brad, I am sorry to say that the majority of Lutherans have done more than drift a bit. They have ... | |
| wedding music | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: What are the titles of the hymns that are usually sung at an orthodox wedding? Also what is ... A: Al, Normally, Orthodox services are sung or chanted, except for the sermon. This applies to ... | |
| Orthodox Wedding | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if in an orthodox wedding the bride and groom must meet outside the church and enter ... A: The traditional Orthodox wedding rite has the bride and groom exchange rings in the narthex, at the ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Wedding | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: My fiance and I have begun to plan our wedding. I have made the decision to convert to Serbian ... A: Stressed, First, congratulations on your upcoming wedding! My God bless your union with all good ... | |
| baptism and marriage | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I am greek orthodox and all the people in this question are as well. I would like to ask you a ... A: Panagiotis, No matter what I say, PLEAS check it out with your own Priest! That said, although ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox to marry a Baptist | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: A Bulgarian friend (Eastern Orthodox) is about to marry a bride from Romania (Baptist). The idea is ... A: Rossen, Orthodox Christians, though they may marry non-Orthodox Christians, must be married by an ... | |
| statues in the church | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: Orthodox churches have icons. Is the catholic church almost violating old testment commandments of ... A: Al, There are no specific canons of iconography which prohibit statues as icons. In fact, there ... | |
| Prodigal Daughter wants to return with Husband | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: Can a Greek Orthodox who converted to another religion in order to get married come back to the ... A: Effie, Though it is not clear from your question, I am going to assume that you are the prodigal ... | |
| what role does God play in my life? | 3/3/2009 |
| Q: According to Orthodox Christianity what role does God play in my life? For instance, should I assume ... A: Jonathan, This is a most complex question, and holds the potential for much error and confusion. ... | |
| Baptising a non orthodox child | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I am greek orthodox, and married a husband who baptised to my religion. His niece is having a baby, ... A: Artemis, No, it is not ok for you to be the Godmother to a non-Orthodox child. 1) A Godparent's ... | |
| Wheat Allergy and Communion | 2/27/2009 |
| Q: I am allergic to wheat. If I were to take Holy Communion every week it would slowly get worst. What ... A: Mike, The first thing to do is talk to your Priest. There are several alternatives he might ... | |
| Orthadox Baptizim | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: I am going to be baptized Greek Orthodox as an adult. Can you tell me what the tradition is for me ... A: G, By custom, your Godmother provides the cross and chain you will wear after you are baptized and ... | |
| book of corinthians | 2/17/2009 |
| Q: From an orthodox perspective, the rebellious group in the corinthian church that paul consistently ... A: Al, No book or epistle in the New Testament is addressed to anyone outside of the Church. That St ... | |
| The End Times | 2/16/2009 |
| Q: I am Armenian Orthodox. They believe that Jesus Christ Our Lord will come in 2015. I of course don't ... A: David, I am so sorry that your mother and sister have been deluded by Protestants. Pray for them. ... | |
| Conversion | 2/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a friend who was baptised in a non-denominational church. However, she told me that she ... A: Tamara, If your friend's Bishop accepted her previous baptism and Trinitarian and valid, then it is ... | |
| paranormal phenomena | 2/3/2009 |
| Q: Please could you tell me what the Orthodox Church's understanding is of paranormal phenomena such as ... A: David, It is the opinion of most Orthodox, and of our spiritual leaders especially, that most of ... | |
| Iconostasis Tiers | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: Which prophets are customarily depicted and in what order are they arranged on the Prophets' Tier - ... A: John, Although certain features of the Iconostasis have become standardized over the centuries, ... | |
| Marriage godparents | 2/2/2009 |
| Q: My fiance and I are both Eastern Christian Orthodox and are getting married. Of our godparents, I ... A: Ida, Congratulations on you upcoming wedding! I pray God that He may fill your lives with many ... | |
| Marriage | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I am a Greek Orthodox girl. My fiance has never been baptized before. We plan to get married in ... A: Georgia, These are questions you need to be discussing with your Priest, and the sooner the better. ... | |
| Marian apparitions | 1/26/2009 |
| Q: What has been the orthodox church's view on the Bernadate story Marian apparition,especially if I am ... A: Al, First of all, I am not "Fr" Alex. I am an unordained layman. Second, I am not aware of any ... | |
| Marian apparitions | 1/23/2009 |
| Q: What has been the orthodox church's view on the Bernadate story Marian apparition,especially if I am ... A: Al, We Orthodoxy do our best to keep our noses out of heterodox apparitions. But if the apparition ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Receiving Communion at Roman Catholic Wedding | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: I was baptized in the Orthodox Church. Can I take communion as part of my wedding Mass in the Roman ... A: Jeff, No, as an Orthodox Christian you may not receive Communion or any other Sacrament - including ... | |
| primacy of peter | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: if phillip was the first called then how can catholics say that peter is the miin apostle? A: Ted, I hope you realize that you are asking this question of someone who is NOT Roman Catholic. ... | |
| Christus Victor | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I recently read Christus Victor by Gustav Aulen, The River of Fire, along with The Meaning of ... A: Benjamin, In the Western sense that the Father redirected His anger at humanity toward His only ... | |
| non-orthodox godparents | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: I have read your response to Nada's question with respect to the disallowal of non-orthodox ... A: Marija, I'm a little confused. You said... <<My daughter's husband has, sadly, never been ... | |
| Infant death | 12/28/2008 |
| Q: The Greek Orthodox daughter of a friend just lost twins that she had carried for 6 months. There ... A: Victoria, Either flowers or a donation to charity would be equally appropriate. If you choose to ... | |
| children born into orthodox-muslim parents | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: I am a Christian Orthodox woman who happened to fall in love with a wonderful, respectful, ... A: E, According to Orthodox Canon Law, and according to the Scriptures themselves, marriage between ... | |
| Sex, Virginity, and No Marriage | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I'm an Orthodox Male, 19 Years old, and was wondering. I'm currently involved in a premarital sexual ... A: Stephan, There is no way to recover virginity. Once it's gone, it's gone forever. However, having ... | |
| canon law and age of future bride and groom | 11/30/2008 |
| Q: Is there any guidance in canon law pertaining to age differences between two Orthodox Christians who ... A: Seraphim. There are limits on how closely the bride and groom can be related, but no limits on how ... | |
| conversion | 11/25/2008 |
| Q: I am an evangelical exploring orthodoxy for about two years.I have a deep desire to convert. My ... A: Alfred, Believe it or not, I have a friend at my parish who married a wonderful Chinese girl. They ... | |
| Separation of Jesus from God while on the cross | 11/20/2008 |
| Q: Alex, While at Bible Study this evening, we were reading and discussing Mark 14 - 16. When we came ... A: Jana, I agree that Christ was quoting the opening lines of Psalm 22. Though this psalm begins with ... | |
| Church attendance | 11/16/2008 |
| Q: I'm 15 and being raised by 2 Southern Baptists, but I'd like to become Orthodox-and I have a ... A: Bradley, By Bishop, now 85, and his sister were raised by Baptist parents. And it was right at ... | |
| orthodox marriage/catholic baptism | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: I want to have a Greek orthodox wedding since that is how I was raised but my significant other is ... A: Maria, If you do not baptize your children into the Orthodox Church, you will automatically ... | |
| changing godparents after baptism | 11/11/2008 |
| Q: I recently had a falling out with my daughter's godparents, whose child I have also baptised (we ... A: Joanne, It's bad enough when ties of love are severed between strangers. It is tragic when a ... | |
| Eastern Othodox theological practices | 11/8/2008 |
| Q: 1. how many Patriarchs/Metropolians in the Eastern Othodox Church are there? 2. is the theology ... A: Margaret, There are about 15 autocephalous Orthodox jurisdictions (those who elect and consecrate ... | |
| Godparent | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: I am Greek Orthodox and I have baptized a boy. I was now asked to be a Godmother to a baby girl. ... A: Angie, You've answered your own question. If you are Godmother to a boy and also Godmother to a ... | |
| baptism | 11/4/2008 |
| Q: my boyfriend and i have been talking very seriously about marriage, children etc but i have a myriad ... A: Victoria, I think you need to find another man to marry. 1) As an Orthodox Christian, you are ... | |
| Orthodox Godmother | 10/31/2008 |
| Q: My friends who have a baby are going to baptize him in a Catholic church. I am Eastern Orthodox. Can ... A: If your intent is to steer that child into the Orthodox Church, and if the parents support this ... | |
| Orthodox Godmother | 10/30/2008 |
| Q: My friends who have a baby are going to baptize him in a Catholic church. I am Eastern Orthodox. Can ... A: Larissa, As the Godmother, can you bring up that child to believe that the Church of Rome is the ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Wedding | 10/27/2008 |
| Q: My fiance and I are starting to plan our wedding. He is Serbian Orthodox and I was baptized in a ... A: Melissa, First, allow me to congratulate you on your decision to convert to Orthodoxy! I hope you ... | |
| Baptism | 10/15/2008 |
| Q: What is the importance or meaning behind not cutting a child's hair before they are baptized? A: Jenna, The custom of not cutting a child's hair before he is baptized is just that - it's a custom, ... | |
| christening an infant | 10/14/2008 |
| Q: my son is 13 months old and will be christened next weekend in Russian orthodox church in Germany. I ... A: Mila, Sorry, but your sister is too closely related to be your childs Godmother. She can't be the ... | |
| Godfather | 10/13/2008 |
| Q: I'm Roman Catholic for many years. My husband is Eastern Orthodox (Serbian Orthodox)and we would ... A: Aneta, I will answer your questions as correctly, truthfully, and honestly as I can. But I must ... | |
| excommunication | 10/8/2008 |
| Q: how does one know if they are excommunicated from the church? do you receive a letter verifying ... A: Angela, Is the Priest a problem because he won't talk to you? Or is he a problem because you don't ... | |
| excommunication | 10/7/2008 |
| Q: how does one know if they are excommunicated from the church? do you receive a letter verifying ... A: Angela, The Church does not excommunicate people. People excommunicate themselves. On occasion, ... | |
| Orthodoxy and Purgatory | 9/18/2008 |
| Q: What is the Orthodox position of the Roman Catholic doctrine of purgatory? Do we believe this? If ... A: Cyril, The Orthodox Church has never taught anything resembling "purgatory." No Ecumenical Council ... | |
| Bias Bible translations. | 9/12/2008 |
| Q: Is there an English Bible that translates correctly? For example in Acts 13 when it says they were ... A: Michael, The best I could suggest is the newly published Orthodox Study Bible. The problem is that ... | |
| Beliver baptism | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: Say someone is baptized as an infant, but as they grow, they do not keep the faith and maybe even ... A: Michael, I'd say you're on your way to understanding salvation and theosis from the Orthodox ... | |
| Beliver baptism | 9/8/2008 |
| Q: Say someone is baptized as an infant, but as they grow, they do not keep the faith and maybe even ... A: Michael, In the Scriptures the word "salvation" is used in two distinct yet inseparable meanings. ... | |
| Beliver baptism | 9/7/2008 |
| Q: Say someone is baptized as an infant, but as they grow, they do not keep the faith and maybe even ... A: Michael, The way of Christ is never smooth and simple. We struggle to grow in the faith day by day ... | |
| Question on Greek Orthodox Church | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: I have recently come across a reference to the "International Episcopal Greek Orthodox Commission" ... A: Everard, I know that all Greek Orthodox parishes outside of Greece have been placed under the ... | |
| Jewish woman | 9/2/2008 |
| Q: Do you know of any Jewish women who have converted? I want to marry an Egyptian coptic but need ... A: Karen, Well, there was this girl named Miriam. But that was a long time ago. Seriously, I have ... | |
| God command of killing | 8/25/2008 |
| Q: An Atheist asked me if your God Jesus is love and love us then why He command Saul to killed every ... A: Nick, Is there a pebble anywhere in the universe which God did no create and does not own? I have ... | |
| Attending a Greek Orthodox Service For the First Time | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I will be attending my first Greek Orthodox church service this Sunday. I am, of course, an ... A: Timothy, 1) Bring a live chicken so that when everyone else bites the head off theirs, you won't ... | |
| Matthew 12 | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: In the twelfth chapter of Matthew, did Jesus disrespect Mary by refusing to speak with her? If so, ... A: Alex, Christ, being God-the-Son, cannot sin. To sin is to act contrary to God's will. God cannot ... | |
| Throne and Lamb | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: according to Eastern Orthodox Who is sit on the Throne in Revelation 4:10 and who is the lamb in ... A: Nick, <<Who is sit[ting] on the Throne in Revelation 4:10>> Jesus, of course. The four beasts, ... | |
| Gree orthodox Christening for a baby girl | 8/21/2008 |
| Q: My husband and I have been invited to the christening of his very close cousins daughter. Her ... A: Anita, The girl's Godmother will provide the Baptismal cross for her Goddaughter. I would say an ... | |
| Forgiveness | 8/19/2008 |
| Q: What does it mean for a person's sins to be forgiven? Does it mean that God is no longer angry at ... A: Alex, We confess our sin to Christ. In Apostolic times Christians confessed their sin before the ... | |
| Forgiveness | 8/18/2008 |
| Q: What does it mean for a person's sins to be forgiven? Does it mean that God is no longer angry at ... A: Alex, He meant that the bread we offer truly becomes Christ's body and the wine we offer truly ... | |
| Forgiveness | 8/16/2008 |
| Q: What does it mean for a person's sins to be forgiven? Does it mean that God is no longer angry at ... A: Alex, Before I can comment on what it means for our sins to be forgiven, I have to explain how ... | |
| Doctrine of Original Sin | 8/13/2008 |
| Q: Augustine developed the doctrine of Original Sin which was adopted by the Western church. Has ... A: Lance, No. Orthodoxy has never fallen for Augustine's version of original sin. Orthodoxy believes ... | |
| Convert | 8/10/2008 |
| Q: I have attended several Orthodox Churches and have read and embrassed the teachings of Orthodoxy and ... A: Rudy, As you may have noticed, Orthodoxy does not use a high pressure sales pitch. If you want to ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox theology | 8/7/2008 |
| Q: I would like to convert to Eastern Orthodoxy, mainly because I agree with the Church's view of ... A: Alex, You've asked some excellent questions. Unfortunately, each one could generate a few volumes ... | |
| Conversion | 7/31/2008 |
| Q: How would I convert to Orthodoxy? A: Alex, The best way is to find a local Orthodox parish and begin attending. The following parish ... | |
| Icon | 7/27/2008 |
| Q: Please follow the link to some pictures of a greek Icon, it was made in greece in 1923. There is a ... A: Cindi, Since I don't read Greek, the only thing I can read on the back of the icon is the date, ... | |
| conversion/marriage | 7/23/2008 |
| Q: I am reading on history of Christianity, as told by catholic and protestant authors. I have not read ... A: Pedro, For an overview of Christian history, theology, and worship, I would highly recommend two ... | |
| Communion | 7/19/2008 |
| Q: I read your answer regarding who may receive communion in the Orthodox church. My question is did ... A: Sarah, It seems your true colors are emerging! You say, "The Catholics and Methodists recite the ... | |
| Communion | 7/18/2008 |
| Q: I read your answer regarding who may receive communion in the Orthodox church. My question is did ... A: Sarah, You say, "I feel that if any baptized Christian desires the body and blood of Jesus, who is ... | |
| Orthodoxy and Catholicism | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: Christ Is Risen! I have a several question. 1) How do The Orthodox Church see the Roman Catholic ... A: Ramon, I have not studied these two councils. Normally when we refer to the Ecumenical councils we ... | |
| Orthodoxy and Catholicism | 7/7/2008 |
| Q: Christ Is Risen! I have a several question. 1) How do The Orthodox Church see the Roman Catholic ... A: He is risen indeed! Ramon, While some would argue that Rome is merely in schism, I would say that ... | |
| Orthodox conversion | 7/4/2008 |
| Q: My fiance is Greek (orthodox), and we want to start our life together in a traditional orthodox ... A: Harmony, Your kind words are totally undeserved. I have had good teachers. I owe them a great ... | |
| Orthodox conversion | 7/3/2008 |
| Q: My fiance is Greek (orthodox), and we want to start our life together in a traditional orthodox ... A: Harmony, I have mostly good news and a little bad news for you. So let's take it a statement at a ... | |
| marrying into a serbian family | 6/10/2008 |
| Q: i don't go to church and i am not christened. my partner is Serbian. is there away around getting ... A: Amanda, First, I would never advise a person to be baptized if doing so runs contrary to their own ... | |
| Several doctrinal questions. | 6/4/2008 |
| Q: I have several questions about the Eastern Orthodox Church (going to covert soon): 1) Does the ... A: Ramon, Despite the Christ's command to baptize in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the ... | |
| Several doctrinal questions. | 6/3/2008 |
| Q: I have several questions about the Eastern Orthodox Church (going to covert soon): 1) Does the ... A: Ramon, Christ is risen! 1) Does the Eastern Orthodox Church accept the Evangelical doctrine of ... | |
| What Orthodox Church is right for us? | 6/2/2008 |
| Q: My girlfriend and I plan on getting married in an Orthodox Church. I moved away from my hometown ... A: Andrew, Christ is risen! Being am member of the OCA myself, I recommend the OCA. But all Orthodox ... | |
| christening both in orthodox and catholic church | 5/31/2008 |
| Q: I am a Greek Orthodox Christian and my husband is a Roman Catholic. We are expecting our first child ... A: Christos anesti! Percy, No, there is no way to have your child christened in both churches. Your ... | |
| regarding baptism | 5/21/2008 |
| Q: my daughter will be baptized in the following weeks. she is 23 years old. i never had her baptized ... A: Mary, Christ is risen! First, never be afraid to approach your Priest with this question or any ... | |
| godmother | 5/15/2008 |
| Q: Russian orthodox godmother be a relative like a Aunty A: Paul, Christ is risen! The original 2nd century reason for a Godparent was to educate an inquirer ... | |
| divorce and communion | 5/11/2008 |
| Q: I recently went through Catechism only to be told just before Easter that I would need an annulment ... A: Wanda, The spine-twisting legalistic machinations of the Roman Catholic church have both amused and ... | |
| Women in The Church | 5/10/2008 |
| Q: I was raised in the Russian Orthodox Church. I am now a Junior in college and have a few questions ... A: Ashley, Christ is risen! Orthodoxy teaches that men and women are equal, but not identical. We ... | |
| Jealousy | 5/10/2008 |
| Q: How could God be love if he is jealous, since jealousy is inconsistent with love (I Corinthians ... A: Alex, Good question. I have no idea. All that comes to mind is that in the Old Testament, God was ... | |
| baptising | 5/2/2008 |
| Q: I just asked my Godmother's daughter (my God-sister) to baptise her child. I was told by someone ... A: Stella, One of the secondary wet wonderful effects of the ancient custom of Godparents and ... | |
| i wanna to ask | 4/28/2008 |
| Q: we see that there r three main denomination in christianity orthodox and catholic and protestant so ... A: Cyril, Copts are Monophysites. You believe Christ has one nature, a fusion of divine and human ... | |
| Orthodox vs. Catholic Communion | 4/26/2008 |
| Q: Is it right for a young boy who has been Baptiste in an Serbian Orthodox Church to be taken to a ... A: Zlatko, NO! An Orthodox Christian may only receive Communion in the Orthodox Church - and nowhere ... | |
| Baptism in two churches | 4/26/2008 |
| Q: .. My sister is Catholic and will be marrying a Greek Orthodox man. They will be getting married ... A: Jill, The moment your sister's Orthodox fiance participates in any Sacrament of any non-Orthodox ... | |
| What name Christ manfiested? | 4/25/2008 |
| Q: I would appreciate very much if you throw some light on the following: I have manifested thy name ... A: Farooq, In old movies, when a policeman was chasing a criminal he would shout, Stop in the name of ... | |
| why still separated | 4/22/2008 |
| Q: i wanna to ask as a orthodox coptic beliver why we still 2 not one orthodox family? i wanna to ... A: Cyril, You have asked an excellent question. The split between the Orthodox and the Coptic, ... | |
| Christ | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: When Christ died on the cross did only his human nature die or was God actually dead? If so, how can ... A: Alex, Nature, be it Divine Nature, human nature, or potato nature, doesn't do anything. Only a ... | |
| Ethiopian Lectionary | 4/16/2008 |
| Q: I am doing research on Ethiopian Epiphany (Timkat). Can you tell me what Scriptures are read in the ... A: Patrick, Technically, Ethiopians are Monophysite, not Orthodox, though the theological difference ... | |
| Serbian Orthdox Christening | 4/15/2008 |
| Q: We will be christening our twins in May at home in England into the Serbian Orthodox faith to which ... A: Nikola! Congratulations on having twins! Ask your Priest if he has a copy of the Priest's Service ... | |
| Life in the universe | 4/8/2008 |
| Q: I would like to know what position the Orthodox Church takes on the possible existence of life ... A: David, As the Nicene Creed says, "I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and ... | |
| Clear and easily understandable | 4/7/2008 |
| Q: I need a source, a website, a book, anything that i can learn more about the Greek Orthodox ... A: There are several excellent web sites where you can learn about Orthodoxy. Among the best are: ... | |
| Dating Christian Greek Orthodox | 4/5/2008 |
| Q: With no plans or thoughts of marriage any time soon--I am Jewish to be exact a Reform Jew. I am ... A: Forest. "Dating" is such a vague term, and covers a wide range of activities. If you spend the ... | |
| Day of worship | 3/17/2008 |
| Q: Sir, Is it true that the Eastern Orthodox Church Worshiped on Saturday instead of Sunday the first ... A: Steve, Since the earliest days of the Church we have worshiped EVERY day of the week. There are ... | |
| Divorce | 3/15/2008 |
| Q: 1)What are the (extreme)cases that the Coptic Orthodox Church allow divorce?Could you please list ... A: Nancy, 1) As I am not a Coptic Christian, I cannot speak for them. However, I would surmise that ... | |
| Orthodox Christian response to Holocaust | 3/14/2008 |
| Q: I have a friend who would like to become an Orthodox Christian, but he can not accept a personal God ... A: Jonathan, According to the 1st chapter of Genesis, we were created to be living icons of God. To ... | |
| Godparent selection | 3/10/2008 |
| Q: Can we select a couple to be the godparents of our child if we are the godparents to their child? A: Paul, Assuming all involved are practicing Orthodox Christians, I see only problem. If the ... | |
| evil spirit in house | 2/24/2008 |
| Q: I just attended an Eastern European (Greek orthodox) funereal where the husband of the deceased ... A: Caroline, While Orthodoxy absolutely believes in the existence of evil powers, Satan and his ... | |
| term "Orthodox" | 2/20/2008 |
| Q: Can you tell me when we first see the term "Orthodox" used in association with our Church. A: Gavrilo, The term "orthodox," meaning "correct belief" or "true worship," began to be used as early ... | |
| rev | 1/26/2008 |
| Q: Why did God reveal what he revealed in Revelation if He didn't want us to really look into it? Why ... A: Van, The Church learned early that which is still true today. Every would-be cult leader ... | |
| Conversion debate | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: My boyfriend who wants to marry me is Greek Eastern Orthodox. I have been raised a strict and ... A: Shelly, No I am NOT saying that as a Roman Catholic you are going to hell. I wouldn't say that ... | |
| Conversion debate | 1/20/2008 |
| Q: My boyfriend who wants to marry me is Greek Eastern Orthodox. I have been raised a strict and ... A: Shelly, First, let me plainly admit that I am no fan of Roman Catholicism. I know my history and ... | |
| Marriage between Greek Orthodox and Maronite Christian | 1/13/2008 |
| Q: I am Greek orthodox and my Fiance is Christian Maronite. Can we get, married in a Greek Orthoodox ... A: Con, As an Orthodox Christian you are required to partake of Orthodox Sacraments and of none other. ... | |
| Christ's Death | 1/8/2008 |
| Q: In the Bible Christ's death is portrayed as both an atonement for sin and as a ransom. I can ... A: Alex, Though the Scriptures use both the image of atonement and or ransom, they use other images as ... | |
| national Jurisdiction | 1/6/2008 |
| Q: Iknow that Greece, Serbia, Russia etc. All have national Orthodox Churches, with only 1 Hiararchy, ... A: Brad, We already have an autocephalous Orthodox Church in America. Politics and finances are ... | |
| Israel and Church | 1/5/2008 |
| Q: Please, tell me, how Eastern Orthodox Church tradition interprets Old Testament passages about ... A: Anatoliy, Orthodoxy understands Israel to be those who are faithful to God, those who hear God's ... | |
| baptism | 12/12/2007 |
| Q: I'am greek orthodox, my husband is catholic. WE attend the greek orthodox church. WE have been ... A: Natasha, Unfortunately you are not Orthodox. The Orthodox Church does not recognize civil ... | |
| Church Order | 12/8/2007 |
| Q: Could you help me understand the power struggle that occurred between Rome and Constantinople that ... A: John, Beneth the politics the schism of Rome away from Orthodoxy has a theological basis. Have you ... | |
| Mary/OCA | 12/6/2007 |
| Q: I am a Protestant/Baptist interested int the Orthodox church, 1 have some questions though. 1) The ... A: Bradley, Not sinning while living in this fallen and deformed universe is no easy task. But it is ... | |
| Mary/OCA | 12/6/2007 |
| Q: I am a Protestant/Baptist interested int the Orthodox church, 1 have some questions though. 1) The ... A: Bradley, Thank you for asking two excellent questions! 1) The Theotokos and Ever Virgin Mary ... | |
| What is the process to convert to Coptic Orthodox? | 11/8/2007 |
| Q: Wondered if you could help? I am Roman Catholic baptised In Lebanon but live in the UK im half ... A: Hollie I am not Coptic, but if they follow the same process my church dies, you will be expected to ... | |
| Patron saint | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: Who would the patron saint be for a person named "Glenn"? Thanks! A: Adriana, Based solely on the coincidence of the initial letters of the two names, may I suggest the ... | |
| reciprocal godparents | 11/5/2007 |
| Q: My sister who is recently divorced, is Greek orthodox, her 2nd born has been baptized by our 1st ... A: Orthodoxy does not recognized civil marriages. Nor do we allow Orthodox Christians to marry in a ... | |
| difference between Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox | 10/28/2007 |
| Q: I was wondering... what is the difference between Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodox? I know ... A: Aja, Both Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism share the same ancient roots. Both have a hierarchical ... | |
| catechism and baptism and chrismation | 10/26/2007 |
| Q: can a priest reject inquirers after they delay an invitation to catechism..... ANSWER: Larry, Your ... A: Larry, Since the 2nd century (possibly even the end of the 1st) The Orthodox Church has insisted ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox vs. Roman Catholics | 10/23/2007 |
| Q: What are some similarities between these two, and what led to the schism? A: Yung Jun-Sing, Both Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism share the same ancient roots. Both have a ... | |
| kuma for serbian orthodox baptism | 10/18/2007 |
| Q: Do the kumovi have to be of Seriban Orthodox faith? My first option would be my sister but I read ... A: Nada, I'm a little confused. Are you planning to baptize your child into Christianity or into ... | |
| how does an anglican become orthodox? | 10/18/2007 |
| Q: I have worshipped God in the Anglican Church all my life. I have recently come across your website ... A: Melanie, You have asked an interesting question! In the Scriptures the word "salvation" is used in ... | |
| School project on Greek Orthodox | 9/26/2007 |
| Q: My daughter is doing a school project on the Greeks and we have discovered that Greek Orthodox ... A: Emma, The Greeks have some unusual customs, but this one is unknown to me. It is an Orthodox ... | |
| Understanding service in a greek spoken church | 9/9/2007 |
| Q: I was raised Catholic but became Orthodox Christian When I married my Husband. I have attended many ... A: Spring, How sadly ironic. Throughout history, Orthodoxy has served in the language of the people ... | |
| I am muslim question on marriage | 9/3/2007 |
| Q: i am researching islam andchristianity if i marry a women woh is muslim as i am but i convert to ... A: Nick, No, there is absolutely no requirement that you divorce your wife just because you have ... | |
| eastern orthodoxy | 8/28/2007 |
| Q: I have two questions.1) How you interpret John's 6:63<The spirit gives life, the flesh counts for ... A: Peters, 1) "Spirit" as opposed to "flesh" as used in this passage and others refers to the ... | |
| Question about God Parents. | 8/20/2007 |
| Q: I would like to ask if there is any way a Catholic person can baptize our daughter. My husband is ... A: Cindy. An Orthodox Godparent's job is to raise his Godchild in the Orthodox Faith. How can someone ... | |
| What is required of a Catholic to convert to Greek Orthodox | 8/14/2007 |
| Q: I am Catholic and my boyfriend is Greek Orthodox. We are wanting to get married, and the subject of ... A: Annessa, Much as I love the Orthodox Church and believe it to be truly the Church Christ founded, ... | |
| eastern orthodox for an american? | 7/29/2007 |
| Q: I am a 34 yr old white female raised in the Roman catholic church. I am interested in Eastern ... A: Connie, Good news: In the early and middle part of the 20th century, large numbers of Orthodox ... | |
| Selecting Godparents | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: When I first found out that I was pregnant with our second child, my husband and I agreed on a ... A: Toni, The same couple can stand as Godparents to as many of your children as you want. Since the ... | |
| Same Godparent | 6/20/2007 |
| Q: Can my second daugther have the same Godmother as my first daughter (no Godfather) in the Greek ... A: Danielle, Since two sisters can obviously have the same mother I see no reason why they can't have ... | |
| relation between greek and armenian orthodox | 6/18/2007 |
| Q: what is the relationship between the greek orthodox and armenian church?are they any close in to ... A: The Church of Armenia is technically Monophysite, believing that Christ has one nature, a blend of ... | |
| FAMILY TRADITION | 6/17/2007 |
| Q: I AM CONFUSED. MY HUSBANDS FAMILY (SINGLE MOTHER) WAS NOT A FAITHFUL PRACTICING ORTHADOX GREEK. ... A: JAX, I love Greeks, I really do! But so many of them are utterly ignorant of the Tradition of ... | |
| Greek Orthodox Baptism | 6/16/2007 |
| Q: I am going to a Greek Orthodox Baptism in a few hours time but was informed by a person last night ... A: Melanie, I hope this is in time! A dress or skirt would be more traditional, but dressy slacks ... | |
| Being a Godparent in another tradition | 5/26/2007 |
| Q: As a Greek Orthodox Christian, may I act as the sponsor or "Godparent" of a child in the Lutheran ... A: Nicholas, 1) The job of a Godparent is to raise his Godchild in the true faith. How can you, an ... | |
| Ethiopian Orthodox Vs Greek Orthodox | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: I was brought up in an Ethiopian Orthodox home. I am planning on getting married in 6/08 and called ... A: Meron, First let me congratulate you on your upcoming wedding! I wish you and your intended the ... | |
| Question | 5/21/2007 |
| Q: How does the sacrament of confession differ between Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholicism? A: Mark, Roman Catholicism treats sin as a crime that must be punished. Orthodoxy treats sin as a ... | |
| Personal relationship with God | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: Do Orthodox believers think in a personal relationship with God ? A: Madeline, The relationship Orthodox Christians have with God is always personal - but never ... | |
| Orthodox/Coptic iconography | 5/15/2007 |
| Q: I am a beginning Orthodox iconographer. I am working on an Icon of St. Anthony the Great (of Egypt). ... A: George, Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the arrangement of crosses you describe. You should ... | |
| The Trinity | 5/9/2007 |
| Q: What is the best way to explain the Trinity to someone who is not familiar with this concept? As ... A: Rose, There IS NO WAY to explain the Trinity simply! 1) As a theological term, "Person" is not a ... | |
| To eat and drink the blood of Christ | 5/8/2007 |
| Q: To eat the body and drink the blood of Christ? What did Jesus meant with theese words? I read John's ... A: Pete, <<I'm still puzzled,I study and compare the two paragraphs John's 6:47 and John's 6:54.>> ... | |
| baptism | 4/28/2007 |
| Q: I am a single mother of two boys in which I would like to have baptised in the Greek Orthodox church ... A: Trinidy, The Godparents are the ones who swear to bring your boys in the Orthodox faith. How can ... | |
| family | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me how many children does the Orthodox believe say that we should have? I 'am an ... A: Madeline, You should have as many children as you can love and raise and educate well. As long as ... | |
| Revelation | 4/25/2007 |
| Q: What does the Orthodox Church believe about the end of the world ? I know that the orthodox don't ... A: Madeline, Of all tech books in the New Testament, there is only one that is forbidden to be read ... | |
| Messianic Judaism | 4/15/2007 |
| Q: As an Orthodox Christian I have been taught that the Orthodox church was the first or original ... A: Steve, If you have not done so already, please read the book by Timothy Ware called THE ORTHODOX ... | |
| Baptism in the Greek Orthodox Church | 4/12/2007 |
| Q: Alex- I wrote you on February 1, 2007 about baptizing our son, who was conceived out of wedlock, in ... A: Kathleen, Until your union is blessed by the Orthodox Church by the rite of marriage, your husband ... | |
| 40 day | 4/7/2007 |
| Q: What is the exact purpose of taking a new baby to church before they are 40 days old? Also, what ... A: Kelly, The Church recognizes that after giving birth both mother and baby need a rest and some time ... | |
| Orthodox Ministries for PWSSA (Persons with Same Sex Attraction) | 4/7/2007 |
| Q: I am a Roman Catholic contemplating converting to Orthodoxy and, as well, a person wirh same sex ... A: Joseph, First, I know of no such specific ministry. But the day after we establish one I'd like ... | |
| Baby Names | 4/6/2007 |
| Q: As a Greek Orthodox Christian I wanted to know if I am limited to Saint Names when choosing a name ... A: Mary, Any Saint's name is acceptable, whether the righteous Saint lived before of after Christ. ... | |
| Differences | 4/5/2007 |
| Q: Can you tell me what really separates the Orthodox church and Lutheran church. A: Rose, Many things separate us. Among them are Trinitarian doctrine, sacramentally, Apostolic ... | |
| orthodox baptism | 3/31/2007 |
| Q: I am doing an assignment on baptism in different religions and was hoping you could please when the ... A: The traditional time for Baptism is the Morning of Holy Saturday, the day before Pascha (Easter.) ... | |
| baptism | 3/28/2007 |
| Q: Why do priests cut the baby's hair at baptism? Thank You A: Ana, The cutting of the hair symbolizes the first sacrifice we make to God as new members of His ... | |
| I need your advice please | 3/26/2007 |
| Q: I have a question. I'm 27 years old and I am engaged to a divorced man who is of catholic faith. ... A: Maria, Thanks for the feedback. Next time instead of asking for my advice just demand my blind ... | |
| Baptism | 3/20/2007 |
| Q: My husband and I were recently asked to be Godparents. Shortly after we were asked, the same family ... A: Maria, Local custom on this varies. Technically, the Godparents represent the congregation, the ... | |
| Reformed Theology | 3/5/2007 |
| Q: How would a personal belief in "eternal security" affect the Divine Liturgy and one's status as a ... A: Steve, "Eternal security" assumes that once one is saved one is guaranteed go to heaven. Orthodoxy ... | |
| Theotokos | 2/21/2007 |
| Q: I am a Jordanian Catholic (converted two years ago from Greek Orthodoxy). I love the Virgin Mary ... A: Omar, Orthodox Christians understand the Theotokos to be our greatest intercessor before Christ. ... | |
| Religious Pilgrimages Today | 2/12/2007 |
| Q: I am a Greek Orthodox convert of 16 years and feel such love for all the traditions but have not ... A: Donna, Have you considered spending some time in a monastery? There are several scattered across ... | |
| The 4th Commandment | 2/6/2007 |
| Q: First, thanks again for all the time and energy you've volunteered for this site and for all the ... A: Zander! Congratulations! What a wonderful way to start the Paschal season! Yes, we still ... | |
| Baptism in Greek Orthodox Church | 2/1/2007 |
| Q: I am Roman Catholic. My significant other is Greek Orthodox. Neither of us is an active member in ... A: Kathleen. Typically, the Orthodox Church does not baptize children if there is little or no hope of ... | |
| Greek Orthodox Baptism | 1/10/2007 |
| Q: I should have been more specific in my question. I really want to know if a grandparent of the child ... A: Maria. The Church sees the Godparent/Godchild relationship as a true blood relationship. Being the ... | |
| Theology | 1/7/2007 |
| Q: Did God die ion the cross or just the sinless human spirit of Christ? Since Satan brought sin, ... A: Paul, God the Son, Second Person of the Trinity, experienced human death - His human soul was ... | |
| Greek orthodox customs | 1/4/2007 |
| Q: My son was married in a Greek Orthodox ceremony in 2006. He is a baptized Catholic. While I found ... A: Carol, First, congratulations On the impending birth of your grandchild! Second, please forgive ... | |
| orthodox/Roman catholic peacesign | 12/16/2006 |
| Q: i am doing an assignment on Catholic Sunday worship, but i have to compare it to both orthodox + ... A: Becky, <<i was wondering do Orthodox have the sign of peace in their divine liturgy? if they do is ... | |
| love | 12/15/2006 |
| Q: I've been asking about love, we are told to love God, your enemies and yourself, are all these the ... A: Mark, Christ Himself, in describing His last judgement, said that he who loved the least of his ... | |
| Church Service | 12/12/2006 |
| Q: What significance is the use of the censor/thurible by the priest in the Eastern Orthodox Church ... A: Tanya, The use of incense in Orthodox worship goes directly back to the liturgical temple worship ... | |
| Baptism | 11/18/2006 |
| Q: My daughter was raised Catholic, and has married a Greek. They live in Athens and will have their ... A: Diana, Congratulations on the new granddaughter! Pascha (Easter) will fall on April 8th in 2007. ... | |
| re | 11/18/2006 |
| Q: when and how did the orthodox church begin A: The Orthodox Church began in Jerusalem around 33 AD. The common "birth date" most people cite is ... | |
| cross | 10/29/2006 |
| Q: why does the orthodox cross consist of three boards while other crosses consist of two boards? ... A: Tony, The three bar cross is an old Byzantine design which got popular among the Slavs. It is not ... | |
| Orthodoxy vs. Roman Catholicism | 10/26/2006 |
| Q: I have been split for a very long time about my faith as a Catholic Christian though I am very much ... A: Christian, If I were a Mongolian considering joining the Roman Catholic Church, should I be ... | |
| lighting candels | 10/19/2006 |
| Q: my son asked me why do we light candels in church? i tried to explain it to him but i think i am ... A: Angela, There are two reasons for lighting candles in church. One is theological and the other is ... | |
| Chi Goon | 10/17/2006 |
| Q: From your experience: is there any difference in goals between Eastern Orthodox and Oriental ... A: Vic, I am not an expert in non-Christian Oriental religions. Orthodoxy seeks communion with God ... | |
| filioque | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: please explain the difference the filioque makes between Orthodox and Roman CatholicIs the Nicene ... A: Sherry, The Nicean Creed (actually the Nicean-Constantinopolitan Creed,) still used by the ... | |
| Nicene Creed | 10/12/2006 |
| Q: Is the Nicene creed part of the Orthodox religion. I thought that is what differienciated them fron ... A: Sherry, 1) The Nicene Creed has been a part of Orthodox faith and worship since the 1st Council of ... | |
| Ethnic Nationalism and Orthodoxy | 10/10/2006 |
| Q: It is much appreciated. I suppose what I am trying to come to terms with is the "Freedom ... A: Mark, Not having grown up Protestant and being an American only by accident of history, I admit to ... | |
| Saints or tyrrants | 10/9/2006 |
| Q: As a possibel convert to orthodoxy there are many thingsI have difficulties in understanding or ... A: Mike, The royal family of Russia were cannonized as "Passion Bearers." This is a category of ... | |
| Ethnic Nationalism and Orthodoxy | 10/8/2006 |
| Q: My family and I are recent converts to Orthodoxy. We love the faith. But I am now having problems ... A: Mark, First, Orthodoxy is a very recent arrival to the Americas. The "ethnic problem" in American ... | |
| Greek Orthodox Baptism | 10/7/2006 |
| Q: I would like to know if my son should wear his baptism outfit or regular clothes for the 2 Sundays ... A: Colleen, Congratulations on your son's baptism! God grant you both many, many years! If your son ... | |
| Conversion from Islam | 10/3/2006 |
| Q: My partner is a non-practising muslim and has agreed to convert once we agree to get married. Could ... A: Joanna, The first thing you both need to do is speak to your Priest. Conversion to Orthodoxy, ... | |
| baptism in catholic bysante religion | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: 1.) If is mother, father and child catholic bysantine religion and they baptised ther child who can ... A: Petra, I think I've answered this question, but perhaps not completely. If a child is baptized in ... | |
| married to ortodox | 9/27/2006 |
| Q: Mother catholic, father serbian ortodox When baby is baptised in ortodox church who can be the ... A: Petra, Since the Godparent is responsible for the religious education of that child, the Godparent ... | |
| Baptism | 9/25/2006 |
| Q: My coworker and I are both Greek Orthodox but raised in different areas and backgrounds. She says ... A: Kleo, This is an old wives' tale with a grain of truth! The Church sees the Godparent-Godchild ... | |
| married to ortodox | 9/24/2006 |
| Q: I'm czech nationality, catholic. I married to serbian ortodox. Can you please explain me rules if: ... A: Petra, The Orthodox Church will marry two Christians as long as one of them is Orthodox. The other ... | |
| communion | 9/19/2006 |
| Q: my son is 5 years old and attended an orthodox church service with a friend where they encouraged ... A: Cynthia, That should not have happened! Although, like Roman Catholics, the Orthodox do believe in ... | |
| divorce | 9/18/2006 |
| Q: How does the Eastern Orthodox position on divorce compare with the Catholic one? Also, do the ... A: Johann, The Orthodox Church maintains the ideal that marriage is a life-long union of one man and ... | |
| Grace as Uncreated Divine Energy | 9/12/2006 |
| Q: I am doing my docoral thesis on a definition of grace in the writings of Paul. The position I am ... A: Joesph, I would suggest St Vladimir's Seminary Press as a source of Orthodox publications. My own ... | |
| Orthodox religion compared to other religions | 9/3/2006 |
| Q: I am in Auburn, Alabama 36830. Also, what are the 'rules' as far as taking communion in other ... A: Lisa, It's not what you would call just down the street, but I remember there being a Greek ... | |
| Orthodox religion compared to other religions | 9/3/2006 |
| Q: I was raised in an Ukranian Orthodox church. My daughter was baptised in a Greek Orthodox church. ... A: Lisa, The first choice, of course, would be any Orthodox church, regardless of ethnic origin. That ... | |
| atonement | 8/30/2006 |
| Q: i read a recent answer you made regarding the purpose of the atonement as medical rather than penal. ... A: Tony, You are a catechumen in the OCA, Diocese of the South? Wonderful! When next you get the ... | |
| Birth | 8/27/2006 |
| Q: I need to find a orthodox prayer during birth or something on those lines. Can you help me? A: Kyralissa, Here's what I found at http://www.serfes.org/orthodox/womanwithchild.htm ... | |
| Israel vs. the Church | 8/17/2006 |
| Q: could you help me to better understand the Orthodox Church's understanding of Israel (the nation)? I ... A: Devin, Excellent question! In essence, the "dispensationalist" view is that God has a special love ... | |
| Baptism | 8/15/2006 |
| Q: Just wondering if you could clear up a dilemma my husband and I are facing. We were blessed with a ... A: Steph, Congratulations! May God bless you all with health and joy for many, many years! Now, as ... | |
| Beliefs | 8/12/2006 |
| Q: Does the Eastern Orthodox religion share the same view regarding the TRINITY as does the Roman ... A: Brant, At the 1st Ecumenical Council of Nicea in 325 AD, the Patriarchate of Rome was representd by ... | |
| Patron Saints | 8/9/2006 |
| Q: I grew up evangelical but for the last year have been growing closer and closer to Orthodoxy. (I'd ... A: Zander, One of my Godsons waited several years just because he wanted the family to make the ... | |
| Baptism | 8/6/2006 |
| Q: Will I be excommunicated from the church if I participate as a godparent in a Catholic baptism? My ... A: Maria, For an Orthodox Christian to recieve a sacrament or participate actively in the liturgical ... | |
| Evangelicals & Orthodoxy | 8/2/2006 |
| Q: Greetings Alex, First, many thanks for providing this service. 1. I feel I am in the midst of a ... A: Dean, You ask questions which can and have filled books!1. I feel I am in the midst of a spiritual ... | |
| Orthodox vs Catholic | 8/1/2006 |
| Q: I am Orthodox and my wife is Catholic and we have a 6 month old son. At this point, we are still ... A: Robert, I am sure that you love your wife and son. I am also sure that when you married you felt ... | |
| Greek Baby Custom | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: What is the custom of keeping babies inside (with the exception of a Dr's visit) for 40 days? A: Susan, The purpose is to give Mama a well deserved rest and time to bond with her new baby. You ... | |
| BABTISM | 7/27/2006 |
| Q: A DEAR FREIND OF MINE HAS JUST ASKED ME TO BE THE GODFATHER TO HIS NEW BORN SON. HE IS ROMAN ... A: Boz, As Godfather, are you prepared to teach your Godson that the Roman Catholic church is the only ... | |
| Am I Orthodox? | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: Given all the canonical disputes over jurisdiction going on these days, I had a question concerning ... A: Danny, Since I am OCA myself, it should not surprise you that I consider you to ba an Orthodox ... | |
| What is the meaning of a church's name | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: Alex, I have noticed that Orthodox churches are generally named after a saint or after one of the ... A: Danny, The Orthodox name their temples after Saints and Feasts for the same reason we name out ... | |
| Baby Baptism | 7/18/2006 |
| Q: Hypothetical: I am a mother and I adopt ten children all at the same time. Being of the ... A: Justin, Neither baptism nor any other sacrament of the Church is an act of magic. Nor are they ... | |
| godparents | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I'm a romaine orthodox and my baby's father is catholic (which he does not practices). I want to ... A: Tina, While I sympathize with your problem, the facts are plain. Only an Orthodox person can be a ... | |
| Marriage in the Orthodox church | 7/7/2006 |
| Q: Hey Alex! I have been seeing someone who is Roman Catholic for approximately 2 years, now that the ... A: Ann, I cannot speak for the Coptic Church. The Orthodox practice is to not re-baptize those who ... | |
| Baptism | 7/4/2006 |
| Q: May my sister or brother baptize my child as opposed to a close friend? I have been advised that ... A: Antonia, The custom of Godpatents stems from about the beginning of the 2nd century. Therefore it ... | |
| godparents | 6/23/2006 |
| Q: im greek orthodox and always wondered why it is kept a secret who my godparnts were. i found out ... A: Katina, That is the most bizzare thing I have ever heard! Normally, Godparents and their Godchild ... | |
| marriage | 6/17/2006 |
| Q: Why can't Coptic Orthodox marry Greek Orthodox? We're all Orthodox, aren't we? A: Konafa, Orthodox Christians believe that Christ has two natures. He has the divine nature He ... | |
| choosing a name for my son | 6/10/2006 |
| Q: here is my question about baptism. Do I need to choose a Greek name after a Saint to baptize my son ... A: Christina, It is the Orthodox (not merely Greek) custom to name our children after the Saints of ... | |
| Eternal security | 6/2/2006 |
| Q: Greetings, On 5/22/2006 you answered some questions on atonement and eternal security. Part of ... A: WH, Salvation proper is God's sovereign act by which we are rescued from bondage to death and sin. ... | |
| Baptism | 5/30/2006 |
| Q: I am Jewish and my husbands is Eastern Orthodox (Serbian) and we were married by a Judge. He told me ... A: Beth, Let me warn you up front that neither you nor your husband are going to like anything about ... | |
| atonement & eternal security | 5/22/2006 |
| Q: 1.What is the nature & extent of atonement according to Eastern Orthodox view ? 2.Do you believe ... A: Bob, 1.What is the nature & extent of atonement according to Eastern Orthodox view ? At a ... | |
| Icons | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: Alex, for your quick and informative response to my initial query. I realize that my first question ... A: I am so sorry to have overlooked your second question! Please forgive me. It was unintentional. ... | |
| the traditions of the Greek Orthodox baptism | 5/16/2006 |
| Q: ------------------------- Followup To Your right I don't know why I said Latin I think I was ... A: OK, Greek make sense! By the way, there is a tradition in Orthodoxy that holiness is passed on by ... | |
| Icons | 5/15/2006 |
| Q: I am learning more about Orthodox Christianity so I may one day convert. I attended my first ... A: JB, Christ is risen! The prohibition in the Old Testament does prohibit images of anything in ... | |
| the traditions of the Greek Orthodox baptism | 5/15/2006 |
| Q: My grand daughter was recently baptised into the Greek Orthodox church. It was very beautiful and ... A: Debbie, Christ is risen! I really do love Greeks, but they can be a little weird. The only thing ... | |
| Holy Communion | 5/1/2006 |
| Q: Greetings, Would the Eastern Orthodox consider the reception of Holy Communion on the tongue a ... A: Christ is risen! That is an excellent question. I wish I had an answer to match. I do know that ... | |
| hi | 4/13/2006 |
| Q: What differences and relation ships are there between the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and the Coptic ... A: Yohannes, As far as I know, both the Coptic Church of Egypt and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are ... | |
| The Age of Jesus | 3/31/2006 |
| Q: You've been so helpful in the past; I thought you might shed some light on this for me. I've been ... A: Zander, That is a most interesting speculation, and one I had not heard of before now. 1. Was St. ... | |
| Statues | 3/12/2006 |
| Q: Well, its the Triumph of Orthodoxy Sunday.... and I had a question pertaining to images. In my ... A: Samuel, There is no specific prohibition against statuary in Orthodox canon law. In fact, canon ... | |
| Historic Premillennialism | 1/16/2006 |
| Q: I recieved your answer and was very disappointed at the way you seemed to avoid a real answer. a) I ... A: Paul, As far as I know, the Orthodox Church does not have a defined doctrine of the exact timing ... | |
| Historic Premillennialism | 1/14/2006 |
| Q: In studying the Early Church fathers, i.e., those who were either taught by the Apostles themselves ... A: Paul, There is a difference between Apostolic Tradition and Apostolic opinion. The early Church ... | |
| The death on the cross | 1/4/2006 |
| Q: What is the significance of the death on the Cross of Christ? Although Orthodoxy tends to shy away ... A: Samuel, There are two essays which most excellently address your question. The Meaning of His ... | |
| Tradition or customs | 1/2/2006 |
| Q: Is there a canon law against musical instruments or religious statues in devotional use? I know the ... A: Samuel, To be honest, I am not sure whether the use of instruments in Orthodox worship is codified ... | |
| Crusades | 1/1/2006 |
| Q: During the Crusades, when Catholics had control of Jerusalem and/or Constantinople how did it affect ... A: Samuel, Before the Crusades, the holy sites in Jerusalem were in the hands of Orthodox Christians, ... | |
| LXX | 12/29/2005 |
| Q: I am currently involved in a group discussion concerning the LXX. The point of debate is that the ... A: Joel, A very quick search of the internet produces the following link: ... | |
| Celtic Christianity | 12/27/2005 |
| Q: Where can I go for more information about pre-schism Celtic Christianity? I am particularly ... A: Samuel, Try searchng the offerings of St Vladimir's Seminary bookstore. There is a link to it ... | |
| Music | 12/26/2005 |
| Q: Why did instruments never take hold in the Eastern liturgy? I'm also thinking about learning to ... A: Samuel, According to Orthodox Tradition, the best instrument for praising God is the redeemed and ... | |
| Propitiation | 12/12/2005 |
| Q: I understand the Eastern "rescue" view of the atonement as opposed to the Western ... A: Zander, A proper reply to your question would demand a thorough linguistic analysis of the Greek ... | |
| Incest | 11/18/2005 |
| Q: Why does God permit incest? One of the ten commandments states: "Thou shalt obey thy mother and thy ... A: God permits incest for the same reason He permits any other sin - because He has given us the ... | |
| Is God a Murderer? | 11/17/2005 |
| Q: The bible says that if our country calls us to war we should heed the call and go. One of the ten ... A: Richard, The taking of a human life is never a good thing. But sometimes it is the least evil of ... | |
| Death of Jesus Christ | 11/17/2005 |
| Q: I fail to see any justice done in the murder of an innocent man (Jesus). How does Jesus' death pay ... A: Richard, Actually, Orthodoxy rejects the Western view of Christ's death as a legal payment of a ... | |
| eucharist bread and wine | 11/6/2005 |
| Q: In the Orthodox view, i would like to know the presence of christ in the eucharist. Is the "flesh ... A: Marlo, When an Orthodox infant, one so young that he cannot swallow any solid food at all, receives ... | |
| What about the heterodox | 11/5/2005 |
| Q: Alex, I have a question regarding the heterodox. Basically, this stems from when I am praying and ... A: John, We don't know how God will judge us. But we do know that the God Who is capable of creating ... | |
| Prayer | 10/24/2005 |
| Q: Alex, I have questions about prayer. I have a prayer book that I have begun using. Prior to that ... A: John, First, it takes time to develop the ability to pray. No one begins to get in shape by ... | |
| Sin and human nature | 10/18/2005 |
| Q: Herman, Can you help me on understanding the Orthodox doctrine of sin? In terms of the fallout of ... A: Herman, You ask... <<Can you help me on understanding the Orthodox doctrine of sin?>> <<In terms ... | |
| The RIchness of Orthodoxy | 10/11/2005 |
| Q: I have a question that I've been thinking alot about, especially since I spend alot of my time ... A: John, First, I must compliment you on your clear grasp of Church history. The first few ... | |
| Differences between Eastern & Oriental Orthodox | 9/23/2005 |
| Q: I have recently been attending an Eastern (Antiochian) Orthodox church. The priest mentioned that he ... A: Zander, My deepest apologies for failing to answer your question more completely. It was my ... | |
| Heaven | 9/21/2005 |
| Q: Are the saints in heaven currently? When we pray to saints, do they hear our prayers? Do some people ... A: John, As to the timing of our passage from this life to heaven, I can only speculate - but prefer ... | |
| Orthodoxy for Americans? | 8/22/2005 |
| Q: Why is there no Orthodoxy for Americans? I have visited numerous Orthodox churches and they ALL ... A: Carl, This is the second time you have addressed the same question to me. Neither the content not ... | |
| Altar and Baptism | 8/19/2005 |
| Q: Mr. Anatole, Currently, I attend a Protestant Church. However, I am reading a book written by a ... A: Jana, <<As I understand it, the altar has a doorway with the sanctuary behind it in which only ... | |
| Salvation | 8/14/2005 |
| Q: Will all non-Orthodox/non-Christians be lost/go to Hell after death? A: Jenny, You ask, "Will all non-Orthodox/non-Christians be lost/go to Hell after death?" I have no ... | |
| Why the confusion of language in Orthodoxy in the USA? | 8/4/2005 |
| Q: It seems no matter which Orthodox church I go into they don't seem to welcome English speaking ... A: Carl, Throught the last 20 centuries, Orthodoxy has spread by the the travels of missionary ... | |
| Armenian Orthodox Church | 7/4/2005 |
| Q: I understand that the first christian kingdom started with the conversion of an Armenian king by a ... A: Rubin, Historically, the Armenian Church is a direct decendant of the missionary work of one of the ... | |
| In the book the Ladder, why does salvation rely so much on works? | 6/8/2005 |
| Q: I have read the Ladder through many times and have found it one of the most depressing books. What i ... A: Carl, Orthodoxy teaches that our salvation - our liberation from the captivity of death and sin - ... | |
| Tithing | 5/23/2005 |
| Q: Are Orthodox Christians required to tithe, i.e. giving back 10% of income to the Church? What is the ... A: Danny, Orthodox Christians are expected to support their local parish. The money they contribute ... | |
| newborns | 4/30/2005 |
| Q: I am married to a Greek orthodox. I frequently ask my husband and his family about the religion and ... A: Caryn, I love Greeks, I really do! But they tend to confuse the customs of their villiage with the ... | |
| Interfaith marriage and baptism | 4/26/2005 |
| Q: My daughter is baptized Greek Orthodox and her fiance is Jewish, she (and he is OK with this) would ... A: Janet, You are not going to like my answer. Unfortunately, there is little I can do to sugarcoat ... | |
| Monophysites | 4/3/2005 |
| Q: Are the Christian Churches of Egypt, Armenia and Ethiopia considered Orthodox? A: That is an interesting question. Strictly speaking, these churches are "Monophysite." They preach ... | |
| I know that in the Catholic... | 3/2/2005 |
| Q: I know that in the Catholic Church there were first monks. Then around the 12 an 13th centuries the ... A: Orthodoxy has had a strong monastic component since the late 3d century. We have had, and continue ... | |
| I know that the Catholic Church... | 3/1/2005 |
| Q: I know that the Catholic Church has several monastic and Friar Orders such as the Benedictines, ... A: Adrienne, Orthodoxy has no "orders" of monasticism. A monastic is a monastic, male or female, ... | |
| Koumbari | 2/14/2005 |
| Q: A year ago I got married in the Greek Orthodox Church and my best friend became our Koumbara. Our ... A: Fiona, I don't know of any reason why you cannot stand as Koumbara for your own Koumbara. Though I ... | |
| Bible translation | 2/6/2005 |
| Q: I know that after the Latin Vulgate was first written, more and more individual books in the Roman ... A: Adrienne, I'm not sure when Orthodoxy adopted the practice of numbering chapters and verses. I ... | |
| Bible translation | 2/6/2005 |
| Q: What did you call your Bibles? "Did you call them the "Received Texts" or something else? Also when ... A: Adrienne, "Bible" comes from the Greek word "biblia." It's the same root word we find in ... | |
| Bible translation | 2/6/2005 |
| Q: I know that from 8th century until the 1609 the Latin Vulgate was THE Bible of the Roman Catholic ... A: Adrienne, Good question! We continued using the "Recieved Texts" of the Church, the same material ... | |
| The nature of Sin | 1/20/2005 |
| Q: I am currently working on a personal project about the nature of Sin. I am the artist and co-author ... A: I am sure you already know that the Greek word used for "sin" in the New Testament (and in the ... | |
| regarding baptism | 1/17/2005 |
| Q: i want my daughter to be baptized. she is 19 years old. what is the procdure for this? i can not ... A: It is good that you want your daughter to be baptized. I want her to be baptized too! But does ... | |
| stuff | 1/4/2005 |
| Q: why do you chirstian are the only sect that keeps long beards like jews and muslims do you also ... A: I have a beard because God created me male. You would do better to ask why some men prefer to shave ... | |
| Conversion and ethnicity in Eastern Orthodoxy | 12/10/2004 |
| Q: What is the conversion process for Eastern Orthodox churches? Is it similar to the Roman Catholic ... A: Sacha, We generally don't have anything as organized as the Roman Catholic RCIA program. There may ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Statistics | 10/4/2004 |
| Q: Do you know a website that gives statistics for the various branches of the Eastern Orthodox church ... A: Charles, Sorry, but I know of no such web site. Estimates of Orthodox Christians in the world ... | |
| Baptism | 9/20/2004 |
| Q: My child was recently baptized in the Episcopal Church. My wife attends the Episcopal Church while I ... A: Bill, Assuming that you used to be an Orthodox Christian, and not merely a visitor, you have ... | |
| Seeking Orthodox Monastaries | 9/6/2004 |
| Q: I am seeking an Orthodox monastary locator on line. I travel alot and would to visit as many as I ... A: Richard, If you go to www.OCA.org you will find a button to search for a local parish. Select it, ... | |
| Marriage of Bishops | 8/19/2004 |
| Q: In 1Timothy3:1-8 St Paul states that a bishop must be blameless, the HUSBAND of one WIFE... How can ... A: Kevin, In the first place, the Scriptures to not determine Church law, they record some aspects of ... | |
| Byzantine Catholics | 8/3/2004 |
| Q: I would appreciate it very much if you could provide me the answers to my three questions below: ... A: Honesto, 1. Do Byzantine catholics recognize the 'authority' of the present day pope in Rome ? Of ... | |
| Chalcedon | 8/1/2004 |
| Q: Can you give me the best meaning of this Council. I have read that this Council, much to the dismay ... A: Joel, I have no idea how you are reading that into the decisions of Chalcedon! Far from denying ... | |
| Liturgy | 7/29/2004 |
| Q: When did the early church start using such elaborate ways of worship? By this I mean vestments, ... A: Lucia, The first Christians were Jews - in intensely liturgical people. Liturgical worship was a ... | |
| Orthodoxs & Baptism | 7/28/2004 |
| Q: , Im currently doing an assignment on Baptism on the variant of Chritianity - Baptism and i was ... A: Monica, In the Orthodox Church, people of all ages are baptised - from infants to adults.. Baptism ... | |
| Mortal Sin | 7/9/2004 |
| Q: My name is Caitlin. I'm Roman Catholic, but I have recently been looking a lot into Orthodoxy, ... A: Caitlin, I can't answer your question. To answer it, I would have to believe that ... A) It is ... | |
| apostolic succession & holy orders | 6/19/2004 |
| Q: Like the Orthodox Churches, the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches also claim apostolic succession ... A: Chris, Apostolic Succession carries with it conditions, responsibilities, and fruits. Why should I ... | |
| interpretation | 6/16/2004 |
| Q: i know that the orthodox church is the interpreter of the holy bible. does that mean that there is ... A: Jerry, No, not at all. Some verses (though we tend not to chop up the Scriptures that way) are a ... | |
| orthodox view of afterlife | 6/13/2004 |
| Q: what happens to a Christian after death? does s/he goes to heaven and be with God immediately? or in ... A: Jasmine, Based on 20 centuries of experience of the departed Saints active intervention in the ... | |
| holy saturday | 6/8/2004 |
| Q: What happened to Jesus and where was his soul/spirit between his cruxifixion and his resurrection? ... A: Danny, I can think of no better answer to your questions than this sermon preached on Pascha ... | |
| rosary | 6/7/2004 |
| Q: do orthodox pray the rosary ("hail mary") and why? A: Danny, The Orthodox do use a version of the prayer called the "Hail Mary." We use it in a slightly ... | |
| baptismal traditions | 5/31/2004 |
| Q: Is it appropriate to offer to be a godparent to a second child of greek orthodox parents. What is ... A: Your question is a bit short on details. I assume you are already the Godparent of the couple's ... | |
| prayers thru saints | 5/23/2004 |
| Q: I have been thinking about this question for a long time but didn't ask those around me 'cos I'm ... A: Steve, Surely the God Who enabled the Apostles to speak in many different languages on the day of ... | |
| Baptism | 5/21/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know if a baptized and/or confirmed non-Orthodox Christian wishes to join the ... A: Derek, Generally, if a person has been baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the ... | |
| Communion | 5/21/2004 |
| Q: Can non-Orthodox Christians, such as Protestants, Anglicans and Roman Catholics, receive Communion ... A: Derek, The answer to both questions is a solid "No." In the last half century or so, it has become ... | |
| charismatic movement | 5/18/2004 |
| Q: What is the Orthodox position on the charismatic movement, i.e. speaking in tongues as a ... A: Danny, Orthodoxy believes that God bestows His gifts as He pleases and when it suits His purpose. ... | |
| Apostles Creed | 5/15/2004 |
| Q: 1) Besides the Nicene Creed, do Orthodox churches accept and/or use the so-called Apostles' Creed ... A: Danny, Of the various creeds in cuse by Christians, only the Nicene Creed is the product of ... | |
| Mary's relation to Christ | 4/26/2004 |
| Q: What is the Eastern Orthodox position on Mary's relation to Christ? According to Orthodox ... A: Christ is risen! The One we call Jesus, the Christ, is the eternal God the Son, the Second Person ... | |
| Diferences | 4/12/2004 |
| Q: First, i want to apologize for any mistakes i make, but i don't have much ease to speak english. ... A: Christo ha resucitado! Jose, Orthodoxy considers herself to be the very sam Church Jesus founded ... | |
| split from the Roman Church | 4/10/2004 |
| Q: when and why did the split from the Roman Church take place, and what differentiates them today? A: Lynne, The way you ask your question makes it sound as thout Orthodoxy split from Roman ... | |
| baptism specifics | 3/27/2004 |
| Q: I believe that I read that the baptismal candidate, as part of the baptism procedure, turns his back ... A: Steve, In a properly oriented (no pun intended) Orthodox temple, the Altar is in the eastern end. ... | |
| Dostoevsky's Theology | 3/19/2004 |
| Q: I am currently writing a very large high school report on Crime and Punishment, and of the many ... A: Ken, Though I read Crime& Punisment in the original some 30 years ago, I can't claim to be an ... | |
| Liturgy | 3/2/2004 |
| Q: Do you know of any good resources/books/texts that explain in great detail the meaning of everything ... A: Doug, Get a copy of the Service Book. That will provide the text of the services. As for ... | |
| Explaining Greek Orthodox Baptism | 2/21/2004 |
| Q: My husband and I are baptising our daughter in the Orthodox church, I am Orthodox, he is Catholic. ... A: Katherine, We baptize by full immersion because that's what the word "baptizo" means - to immerse. ... | |
| Ethnicity | 12/8/2003 |
| Q: What is the ethnic composition of the community? How important is ethnic identity to the life of ... A: Luke, Interesting question! My own parish (www.StSeraphim.org) is perhaps 30% recently immigrated ... | |
| UK Orthodox ministers | 8/13/2003 |
| Q: I've been trying for the past few weeks how to go about becoming an Orthodox minister or priest ... A: David, If you are an Orthodox Christian, and if you feel called to serve the Church in an ordained ... | |
| Baptism | 4/25/2003 |
| Q: I have a fiend that wants to change his religion to greek orthodox. He is a grown man and I don't ... A: Xhristos anesti! Catherine, Easy. Talk to your parish Priest. How your friend is recieved into ... | |
| When did the Orthodox religion begin | 11/24/2002 |
| Q: When and where was the first Orthodox Orthos/Litergy held, when did the Roman Bishop become the ... A: Francis, <<When and where was the first Orthodox Orthos/Litergy held, when did the Roman Bishop ... | |
| Appropriable catholicity as predicated by Rome | 4/30/2002 |
| Q: Rome no longer makes a distinction between sacramental validity and sacramental efficacy----between ... A: George, The Great Schism is rooted in St Augustin's adoption of Neo-Platonic philosophical ... | |
| canon versus inspired | 10/31/2001 |
| Q: Greetings, I am presently teaching a class on turning points in christian history. While preparing ... A: Chuck, The question is not so much whether Orthodoxy thinks of the Scriptures as cononical, but ... | |
| Eastern Orthodox Mass Vs Latin Rite | 10/20/2001 |
| Q: Please Help! I need to know the differences (and similarities) between the Eastern Orthodox mass and ... A: Kristen, The Orthodox Liturgy and the Roman Catholic Mass are really very similar in content. The ... | |
| location of a verse | 10/14/2001 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could give me the location of the saying about God gives you no more than you ... A: John, There's nothing harder to track down than a paraphrased quote! It definately rings a bell, ... | |
| Dragons? | 10/3/2001 |
| Q: I hope you can help me with my problem. I have been seriously looking into the Orthodox version of ... A: Susanna, I heartily agree with you. Dragons? Ridiculous! Then again, I don't believe in ... | |
| Eastern orthodox vs. Western latin christianity | 9/22/2001 |
| Q: What were the similarities and differences among the theologies and practices of Eastern orthodix ... A: Meg, This is a very broad question! Similarities: Both believe in the reality of the Sacraments. ... | |
| Orthodoxy schism | 8/17/2001 |
| Q: I am RC looking at American orthodoxy. What exactly is the Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon ... A: Anne, The 4th Ecumenical Council condemned the heresy of Eutyches. His error was, in a way, the ... | |
| Branches of Orthodox Christianity | 1/12/2001 |
| Q: What are the major theological differences between various Eastern Orthodox churches? (i.e Armenian ... A: Armen, There are no differences in theology between Orthodox churches. The Armenian church differs ... | |
| Eastern Orthodoxy re Lutheran justification | 1/8/2001 |
| Q: I'm a Lutheran theological student. I'm interested in the Orthodox view of the Lutheran teaching of ... A: Martin, Your question is a bit complicated because in Orthodoxy the word "Justification" is not ... | |
| Orthodox Prayerbook? | 12/5/2000 |
| Q: I recently came upon a prayerbook called "Chlib Dusi" at an antique shop. I purchased it. I ... A: Mark, My first answer was.... ""Bread for the Soul" Sounds like a collection of spiritual ... | |
Alex Anatole
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I can answer questions about Eastern Orthodox Church history, theology, liturgics, iconography, and Eastern Orthodoxy`s relationship to other Christian and non-Christian religions.
Experience
I have been an Eastern Orthodox christian since 1953, and since the age of 20 have devoted myself to Orthodox studies and aplogetics.
Organizations
St Seraphim Orthodox Cathedral, Diocese of the South, Orthodox Church in America.
Publications
The Dawn (Diocesan newspaper)
The Dallas Morning News (guest columnist, religion section)
Education/Credentials
Master's in adult education
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