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Patriarch Kirill: Russia needs nuclear weapons

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NIZHNY NOVGOROD, September 11 (RIA Novosti) – The head of Russia’s Orthodox Church said on Friday that Russia needed nuclear weapons.

Speaking in the Volga Region town of Sarov, Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia said that while the Church was in favor of “a world without weapons,” Russia required nuclear arms to ensure that it was able to “remain a sovereign state.”

Sarov is the center of Russia’s nuclear weapon industry and closed to foreigners.

Speaking before several thousand young people, the patriarch said “the reason for war is sin and evil in man’s heart,” and that peace can only be guaranteed by “fighting against sin.”

“You can have excellently developed systems of international law, international organizations, but fall into the abyss of war,” he added.

This is not the first time the Orthodox Church has shown its support for weapons of mass destruction. In 2007, a prayer service was held in central Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Russia’s nuclear complex.

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Silent Bishops

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In his post “The Teaching Office of the Bishop,” Fr. Peter-Michael Preble wonders why Orthodox bishops have said so little about the current health care debate.

Recently Dr. Bradley Nassif wrote an article entitled “The Calling of a Bishop is to Preach the Gospel” and this is a good start and a jump off point for this discussion. Dr. Nassif states that “All bishops are to proclaim and interpret the gospel of Christ to the church and to the world.” and what is the Gospel? “The gospel is the “good news” that God became human in Jesus Christ, took upon himself our fallen humanity in order to restore it into communion with God, conquer sin and vanquish death. This he did pre-eminently through Christ’s life, death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. This “good news” must be at the very core of every life-giving action in the church – the sacraments and throughout every liturgical season of fasting and prayer.”

My personal belief is that the Gospel also includes the interpretation of events of the day and how that fits in the Christian life. What do I mean by this? An example of what I mean would be the present health care debate. The Church needs to be heard on these issues and the church, meaning the bishops, need to speak on these issues. Catholic bishop after Catholic Bishop have written statements instructing the faithful on what the church teaches on this very important social issue.

A brief check of the SCOBA website will reveal that since that start of the summer the SCOBA bishops have released the following statements:

— Disability and Communion
— ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN PRISON MINISTRY
— College Student Sunday – September 20, 2009

All important topics don’t get me wrong but where is the teaching office of the bishop? Why is silence all we hear on such an important debate?

Swine Flu in the Chalice?

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Greek Orthodox Metropolitan Alexios on the H1N1 Virus

As we look forward to the blessings of New Ecclesiastical Year, I greet you with joy and love in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, with prayers and good wishes for a healthy and joyous year. As I was traveling this summer, both in our Metropolis and Greece, I heard some talk from our brothers and sisters that we should question the way that we receive the Body and Blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, due to concerns about the H1N1 virus. They were concerned that this would transmit the virus to the Faithful and of course they have a point.

If we were receiving only bread and wine there would be some, though not a lot, of cause for concern. Aside from the scientific facts showing that there is no difference in rates of illness between people who receive Holy Communion and the general population, aside from the fact that there have always been infectious and communicable disease, aside from the fact that more people die in car wrecks every year than from any flu, in order to receive we must have faith. Indeed as human beings we are weak in faith.

Even the disciples, who lived with Christ on a daily basis were weak in faith. We see this in the Gospel of St. Matthew, after the feeding of the 5000 when the disciples were caught in a violent storm on the lake, and they see Jesus walking toward them: “And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Continue reading →

‘Secular vs. Sacred’ | Oct. 2-4 conference at Dormition Monastery, Rives Junction, Mich.

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The Unmercenary Physicians<br />Sts. Hermione, Philonella & Zenaida

The Unmercenary Physicians
Sts. Hermione, Philonella & Zenaida

The Orthodox Women in the Healing Ministries organization is holding its 16th Annual Conference Oct. 2-4 at the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery in Rives Junction, Mich.

The theme of the conference is “Secular vs. Sacred” and will be led by AOI’s Fr. Johannes L. Jacobse. Key insights to be discussed at the conference:

— When God created the world, He spoke it into existence. God said “Let
their be Light” and there was light. This is very important because it
reveals God creates by the power of His word, as St. Paul wrote later.

— God still speaks today. And God’s word today is just as powerful but it
works toward a different end. It works toward the redemption of this world
that God created.

— Man is created to hear God’s word. And when it is heard, Christ is
revealed. This word is the Gospel — the Good News — revealed to the
apostles and recorded for us in Holy Scripture.

— Christ is the Truth. Those who hear His Word, who receive the Gospel with
gladness, bring truth into the world.

— Salvation takes place in the circumstances and events of life everyday —
and not apart from it. Bringing truth into the world begins first with what
we say and speak, and if abide in Him who is Truth, we must speak what is
true. This new word participates in the redemption of the world by Christ.

Continue reading →

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