July 14, 2018 94 0 Is Tithing a New Testament Practice? Tithing was the practice of giving ten percent of one’s “increase” to God. By increase, this meant that whatever one’s labor managed to acquire,…
July 6, 2018 77 0 How Do We Know that We Have Divine Grace? Let us begin with one story as an example. St. Simeon the Stylite was the first ascetic who began practicing this kind of asceticism,…
July 4, 2018 62 0 Is it Possible to Be Pro-life and Pro-choice? Question: Is it possible for someone to be pro-life and pro-choice? We should define our terms here. By “pro-life,” we mean that we…
June 27, 2018 496 0 Why Does the Priest Say “Singing the Triumphant Hymn, Shouting, Proclaiming and Saying” during the Divine Liturgy? The Eucharistic canon is the heart of the Divine Liturgy because it is during this moment in the service the bread and wine become…
June 14, 2018 70 0 Baptizing Infants as a Part of the New Covenant with God St. Augustine made the observation that in the Scriptures, circumcision was a sign of the covenant between God and His people. The community did…
June 12, 2018 2077 3 Can a Laymen Give a Blessing? Question: Can a laymen give a blessing? Answer: In the absence of a priest or bishop, a layman can give blessings. You can…
June 1, 2018 176 0 Why a New Name at Tonsure? Question: In connection with what, at a tonsure to monasticism, is the one receiving the schema given a new name? Answer: Monasticism is…
May 21, 2018 193 0 If Someone Dies without Repentance, Is It Possible for Such a Person to Repent after Death? Question: If someone dies without repentance, is it possible for such a person to repent after death? Fr. John Whiteford answers this question through…
May 15, 2018 94 2 What One Should have in One’s Head While Praying Question: Your blessing, Father. A lot of books mention that we are strongly advised against imagining the Lord, the Theotokos, or the saints while…
May 4, 2018 3708 2 Why Do We Pray for the Dead on the 3rd, 9th, and 40th Day of a Person’s Repose? Question: Why do we pray for the dead on the 3rd, 9th, and 40th day of a person’s repose, and what is the basis…