| Vol. VI, No. 8 | Young Orthodox Mail | June 2005 |
Food for the Soul: Pentecost - Messengers of ChristWith the passing of the Feast of the Accension of Our Lord
a few weeks ago we have completed the season of Pascha. With
this conclusion we find that we no longer greet each other with
the familiar exclamation of 'Christ is Risen!' and we no longer
sing the magnification hymn to the Mother of God known as 'the
Angel Cried.' Christ, the God Man, has departed from this world
to take His place at the right hand of the Father. But before
His Acension, He reminds us that it is to our advantage that
He leaves us, "It is to your advantage that I go away,
for if I do not go away, the counselor will not come to you;
But if I go, I will send him to you." (Jn 16:7) It is in
this scripture that we hear the foreshadowing of the feast of
Pentecost as the day on which God realizes His promise, the
promise of the Holy Spirit. The promise of the sending of the
Holy Spirit is found in many passages in the New Testament.
"And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another
Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of Truth."
(Jn 14: 16-17 see also Jn 14:26, 15:26-27, 16:7, 16:13) "Go therefore and teach all nations..." is known
as the Great Commission where Christ specifically sets His Church
as a missionary Church, a Church that was for the salvation
of all and not only for those in the upper-room. And so as Christians
we are expected to preach the Gospel and the salvation wrought
through the death and Resurrection of Christ Jesus. In short,
each and every Christian is called and indeed expected to be
a missionary. But how is it that we can all be missionaries?
It is certainly not possible for everyone to travel to the jungles
of Latin America or Africa to preach the Word of God. So how
can we fulfill that which is required of us? Ours is by nature a Church of missions. Indeed each Sunday we confess in the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that, "...we believe in one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church." But we often fail to grasp the full understanding of this statement especially with regards to the word 'Apostolic'. To be sure we all know what or who is an Apostle. But do we really know what it means to be an Apostolic Church? The most common understanding is that ours is a church which traces her foundation to the time of the Apostles. While this is certainly a very true and fair definition, it is but half of what it means to be an Apostolic Church. The proper meaning of the word will help us to identify what an Apostolic Church means. The Greek word, 'apostolos' is defined as one who is a delegate, messenger, or one sent forth with orders. So when applied to the Church we see that to be an Apostolic Church is to be a Church which is sent out with orders, and that order being to, "...teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." (Mt 28: 18-20) If our Church is by nature an apostolic Church
we therefore, as Christians, are by nature apostles and in being
apostles we are delegates and messengers of Christ. So let us
live up to that which is required of us and be true messengers
of Christ either by actually participating in the many cross-cultural
missionary activities offered by OCMC, Orthodox Christian Mission
Center or by acting on a grass-roots level in our daily lives
by not only being an example of Christs love but by actively
proclaiming the Good News of Christs Resurrection. Troparion - Tone 8 Blessed art Thou O Christ Our God
An Orthodox Look: Movies - MadagascarAnimated entertainment has come a long way in recent years. Movies such as Shrek, Finding Nemo, and Toy Story are box office hits and generate a steady stream of DVD revenue. Why are these movies, historically known as appealing to an audience of children, enjoying such great success? The movie studios seem to have come up with a winning combination of humor (appealing to both children and adults), clever animation, and clever plots. The movie-going audience is pleased, evidenced by large, laughing crowds of people in the theatres. Madagascar follows the above recipe for success perfectly. It is laugh out loud funny, it’s colorful and eye-catching, and the plot, while silly, keeps you entertained. A group of friends (animals) from the Central Park Zoo in New York City decide to break out and see the world. One of them is under the misconception that “the grass is always greener” elsewhere, and so the trio is off for a series of adventure and misadventure, to discover things about themselves and the vast world around them. On the Upside:
On the Downside:
On the Calendar : Orthodox Peace Fellowship Annual ConferenceCRESTWOOD, NY [OCA Communications] — The North American branch of the Orthodox Peace Fellowship [OPF] will hold its annual east coast conference at Saint Vladimir's Seminary here July 29-31, 2005. The conference theme, "Salt of the Earth, Light of the World: Living the Similitudes in Our Communities," will focus on establishing and expanding a variety of Orthodox social outreach ministries. Highlights of the conference include a presentation by Mr. Joe May of Akron, OH's Matthew 25 House of Hospitality, titled "Downward Mobility: Voluntary Simplicity in Christian Life and Witness." The Rev. Paisius Altschul of the Kansas City Reconciliation Ministries also will offer a presentation titled "The Icon of God: Getting Beyond 'Us' 'Them.'" Other Orthodox social ministries slated to participate in the conference include the homeless ministry conducted by Saint John the Compassionate Mission, Toronto, ON, Canada; the Treehouse Center for Mothers, Wichita, KS; and various prison ministries. Mr. Jim Forrest, OPF general secretary and well known lecturer and author, will facilitate the conference. On-line registration is encouraged through the OPF web site at www.incommunion.org or by writing to the Orthodox Peace Fellowship, PO Box 390838, Cambridge, MA 02139. Questions may be directed to Sheri San Chirico at sherihopesc@yahoo.com. OPF's North American branch was established several years ago
as a extension of the international OPF, based in Alkmaar, Holland. August 17-23 - Syndesmos Festival: Alexandroupoli, GreeceTheme: “Towards the Council… Urgent issues in the Church”. A festival is a feast. Syndesmos festivals are feasts of unity and sharing. The theme of the meeting focuses on the main guideline of Syndesmos programme of these years. Participants: 80 from around the world Participation fee: 80 Euro. If unable to pay this amount, the alternative decision has to be negotiated with the General Secretariat. For more information go to www.syndesmos.org
Real Questions/ Real Answers: Speaking in TonguesQuestion: In some churches people all speak in tongues. What is the position of the Orthodox church on speaking in new tongues? Do we believe in this? Answer: Concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit and specifically speaking in new tongues, I offer the following observations: While the Orthodox Church does not deny this gift in any way, it does acknowledge that this gift is rarely given, spontaneous, and only evident in cases of need. On the day of Pentecost, as we read in the Acts of the Apostles, the apostles proclaimed the Good News to all who would listen. Acts notes that there were many people from many lands in Jerusalem at the time, celebrating the Jewish feast of Pentecost. Many languages were spoken. Acts continues by stating that every one in the crowd heard and understood the apostles as if they were speaking in their own tongues. This gives rise to speculation: does speaking in tongues mean that someone is speaking in a language he or she does not know, or does it imply that he or she is speaking in his or her own language but that the Holy Spirit miraculously enables his or her listeners to understand, even if his or her listeners do not know the speaker's language? It follows that on the day of Pentecost there was a clear need for this manifestation: everyone was from a different land and spoke a different language. However, everyone understood. This clearly implies that speaking in tongues is not meaningless babbling, but readily understood speech and language. While on the day of Pentecost there was a need, due to varying languages, in the case of a group of people who all speak and understand the same language, what would be the purpose of tongues? In Scripture we do not find other indications or references to the apostles speaking in tongues, other than on the day of Pentecost. Perhaps it was because no such need had made itself evident. It is only my personal opinion, but I think the Orthodox Church would say that "regularly scheduled" speaking in tongue sessions conducted by individuals who speak the same language somehow miss the point. For example, it seems inconceivable to say, "Welcome to our mid-week prayer service. From 7:00 until 7:30 we will pray and sing hymns, and then we will speak in tongues." If everyone speaks the same language, what is being revealed? If what is uttered is not intelligible to the hearers, what is being communicated? If it is a way of showing who in a congregation is filled with the Holy Spirit and who isn't, it constitutes heresy, for the Holy Spirit is everywhere present and fills all things, including those individuals who have been created in God's image and likeness yet who reject the very notion. Scripture is very clear that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are never to become sources of personal pride. I hope this helps.
Readers Write: CD Review - Confessing Between the LinesBy Peter Jon Gilquist Review: Confessing between the Lines by Justin Mathews (Label:
Intone): You may have heard him as the lead singer of Nashville-based “Many Waters” in the late-‘90s. Or you may have caught him on tour before that under his nickname “Fuzzy.” But chances are unless you frequent Kansas or Pennsylvania, you haven’t caught the recent concerts showcasing the new tunes of Orthodox folk-rock artist Justin Mathews. Confessing between the Lines is the first full-length release by Mathews since his conversion to Orthodoxy in 1999. While his previous CDs were more along the lines of the CCM rock genre, his new disc features a more acoustic folk-rock sound. Lyrically, the content is thoroughly “Orthodox,” though you will find few songs actually arguing dogma or doctrine. The disc opens with the familiar vesperal psalm “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” (Psalm150) sung in a heartfelt Byzantine plea over a guitar-strum ison. Immediately following this appropriate and prayerful intro, Mathews kicks into an energetic picking pattern and a song about his contacts with various homeless souls in Nashville (The Collection). Next is an upbeat, bass-drums-guitar tune about a seeker with a calm and peaceful vibe (Peaceful). Throughout the album, Mathews shows his diverse writing capabilities by addressing issues ranging from homelessness and his personal spiritual struggles to the very vibrant relationship he enjoys with his wife. Similarly, he demonstrates his musical skill by offering memorable stand-out guitar melodies that make simple folk tunes great. Perhaps the apex of the album comes at track 11, “Lovers of
Truth,” when a driving, muffled guitar strum is joined by tight
drums and a traveling bass line. The arrangement opens the door
for the following chorus to challenge listeners to action: If you like creative writing and great guitar work, don’t be like the national radio gurus who have somehow overlooked this musical artpiece. Pick up a copy today!
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