Energy in the Bible and the Christian life (Under Construction)

Pavel Mosko said:

This is my next project I intend to work on after I complete my "History of the Trinity" thread/series most likely this week.

In a lot of ways I would like to put this thread in the "Controversial" part of the board, not because it fits the TOS as much as staking out a position that I expect some folks to be uncomfortable or to consider it so, and I'm OK with that. I say this based on the kind of reaction I would have likely had if I ran across it back in my earlier days (I would have compared it to New Age stuff and would have most likely attacked or disregarded it).

This thread would probably fit a metaphysics section best if they had one here (I suspect not much calls for that).



The basic synopsis

1) I'm going to be covering some ideas or at least themes that were once brought up by the defunct Eastern Orthodox website "Orlapubs", aka Orchid Land Publications, which was the first big Eastern Orthodox theological web site on the web. They had a great article called "Energy in the New Testament" that was very influential to many Christian Seekers of the 90s into the early 2000s.

2) Besides that there was an interesting Eastern Orthodox book called "the Mountain of Silence that had at least one chapter in particular that was pertinent to the topic.

3) I've had my own experiences that are relevant to the topic.

So that's about it....


PS - maybe bringing in other sources like Saint Simeon the New Theologian,

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

1) I'm going to be covering some ideas or at least themes that were once brought up by the defunct Eastern Orthodox website "Orlapubs", aka Orchid Land Publications, which was the first big Eastern Orthodox theological web site on the web. They had a great article called "Energy in the New Testament" that was very influential to many Christian Seekers of the 90s into the early 2000s.

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

This is my next project I intend to work on after I complete my "History of the Trinity" thread/series most likely this week.

In a lot of ways I would like to put this thread in the "Controversial" part of the board, not because it fits the TOS as much as staking out a position that I expect some folks to be uncomfortable or to consider it so, and I'm OK with that. I say this based on the kind of reaction I would have likely had if I ran across it back in my earlier days (I would have compared it to New Age stuff and would have most likely attacked or disregarded it).

This thread would probably fit a metaphysics section best if they had one here (I suspect not much calls for that).



The basic synopsis

1) I'm going to be covering some ideas or at least themes that were once brought up by the defunct Eastern Orthodox website "Orlapubs", aka Orchid Land Publications, which was the first big Eastern Orthodox theological web site on the web. They had a great article called "Energy in the New Testament" that was very influential to many Christian Seekers of the 90s into the early 2000s.

2) Besides that there was an interesting Eastern Orthodox book called "the Mountain of Silence that had at least one chapter in particular that was pertinent to the topic.

3) I've had my own experiences that are relevant to the topic.

So that's about it....


PS - maybe bringing in other sources like Saint Simeon the New Theologian,

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

They had a great article called "Energy in the New Testament"

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

Besides that there was an interesting Eastern Orthodox book called "the Mountain of Silence that had at least one chapter in particular that was pertinent to the topic.

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

Well that's cool! I may have to get that some folks have things saved from the internet "Way Back Machine".

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

(A story I blogged about on Facebook a few years back.)


A week ago, I had a discussion / disagreement with a Christian that was very put off by the notion that objects in the New Testament era might actually be somehow be “consecrated” or even holy (because they are set apart for the ministry of the Gospel). I used many examples that showed that this was not purely Old Testament or even Roman Catholic, but such things actually took place in the New Testament as well. But one of the things, I left out was an actual personal story that happened in my own life.



In the house where I grew up (from 1st grade into college even graduate school) we had a “Living Room” which basically acted as a parlor. My mother was one of the main organists for our local Lutheran church and that was the room she tended to practice her hymns and Lutheran liturgy in and that was something that was mostly ongoing from the 1975-1993. Besides being the organ practice room had another use. In grade school a conflict happened at the local church that led to a church split. The only other Lutheran church in my town was a liberal one, that my parents couldn’t agree with. So for a year or so, under the advice a Lutheran pastor my folks respected we had church service in our home every Sunday for almost a year in that room. My father would lead devotions based on a devotional publication from our new Lutheran synod we just joined, and we also every month would get a few tape recorded sermons mailed to us from some Lutheran pastors we knew that we could listen to as well. Finally, the room became a Bible study and prayer room for me, especially after I joined the Charismatic movement in 1990 onward. The room had a good peaceful feeling to it and I tended to use it for graduate school studying as well.



While in grad school I met a friend of a friend. This person was unlike any of my friends and associates. All my other friends tended to fall into one of two categories. 1) People who were openly Christian. Or 2) People who were probably some form of agnostic but reasonably neutral and respectful of their more Christian associates. This was more or less true of most friends and acquaintances, that is until I met Jim. Jim started a whole new class of friends and associates, namely those who are: 3) Openly derogatory of Christianity. The man seemed to have no filter over his mouth, he could see something like a Christian plaque or the title of a book, and could not help but blurt out something insulting about the ignorance of the person writing it etc. This occurred even when he might have to ask you for a favor, or otherwise was on the receiving end of social graces and hospitality.



Besides this associate was unlike any of my other friends, for he was the only one that had any interest in the occult. Strangely enough, his interest was less in the practical end of trying to use the occult as
some kind of practical way like many try to use it to help them in romance, to help earn more money etc. Rather than being interested in such things as spell casting, dousing rods, horoscopes etc. this person was for the most part only interested more into what is termed theosophy, which is the philosophical end of the occult.


Anyway an interesting thing happened one day, while my group of friends were looking to go to the movies together.... I had forgotten a wind breaker jacket and asked that we stop by my house to get it. So my friends, not wanting to wait in the car followed me into my parent’s house where I was staying at the time. What caught me by surprise however was Jim’s exclamation upon immediately entering my parent’s house and looking off to the side where the Living room / organ practice room was. “THERE’S A LOT OF POWER COMING FROM THAT ROOM!” is what he immediately blurted out.



It's interesting in all my talking to this person he was the most close minded person I knew as far as being willing to consider the Gospel as far as all my conversations and interactions of him went. However, his pride and skepticism was momentarily challenged by coming into contact with a Christian sacred space. This story should likewise encourage others in their establishing sacred spaces within their homes, offices etc. For in the Bible, people, objects and places that become dedicated to God become vessels that reflect some aspect of his power and glory. So I would submit establishing sacred spaces is yet another way we can witness to Christ and “occupy until returns” (Luke 19:13)


PS – The great irony of this story as well is parents are non-charismatic. My father is somewhat open to the idea, but my mother can legitimately be called a charismaphobic (very afraid of Holy Rollers). The great irony is in Eastern Orthodox terms much of the worship that “charged” the room with the air of the supernatural came from a lady who is deathly afraid of such things! This itself hopefully will be an encouragement for folks afraid that there “Faith is too weak” for the charisms etc.

Click to expand...

Pavel Mosko said:

(A story I blogged about on Facebook a few years back.)


A week ago, I had a discussion / disagreement with a Christian that was very put off by the notion that objects in the New Testament era might actually be somehow be “consecrated” or even holy (because they are set apart for the ministry of the Gospel). I used many examples that showed that this was not purely Old Testament or even Roman Catholic, but such things actually took place in the New Testament as well. But one of the things, I left out was an actual personal story that happened in my own life.



In the house where I grew up (from 1st grade into college even graduate school) we had a “Living Room” which basically acted as a parlor. My mother was one of the main organists for our local Lutheran church and that was the room she tended to practice her hymns and Lutheran liturgy in and that was something that was mostly ongoing from the 1975-1993. Besides being the organ practice room had another use. In grade school a conflict happened at the local church that led to a church split. The only other Lutheran church in my town was a liberal one, that my parents couldn’t agree with. So for a year or so, under the advice a Lutheran pastor my folks respected we had church service in our home every Sunday for almost a year in that room. My father would lead devotions based on a devotional publication from our new Lutheran synod we just joined, and we also every month would get a few tape recorded sermons mailed to us from some Lutheran pastors we knew that we could listen to as well. Finally, the room became a Bible study and prayer room for me, especially after I joined the Charismatic movement in 1990 onward. The room had a good peaceful feeling to it and I tended to use it for graduate school studying as well.



While in grad school I met a friend of a friend. This person was unlike any of my friends and associates. All my other friends tended to fall into one of two categories. 1) People who were openly Christian. Or 2) People who were probably some form of agnostic but reasonably neutral and respectful of their more Christian associates. This was more or less true of most friends and acquaintances, that is until I met Jim. Jim started a whole new class of friends and associates, namely those who are: 3) Openly derogatory of Christianity. The man seemed to have no filter over his mouth, he could see something like a Christian plaque or the title of a book, and could not help but blurt out something insulting about the ignorance of the person writing it etc. This occurred even when he might have to ask you for a favor, or otherwise was on the receiving end of social graces and hospitality.



Besides this associate was unlike any of my other friends, for he was the only one that had any interest in the occult. Strangely enough, his interest was less in the practical end of trying to use the occult as
some kind of practical way like many try to use it to help them in romance, to help earn more money etc. Rather than being interested in such things as spell casting, dousing rods, horoscopes etc. this person was for the most part only interested more into what is termed theosophy, which is the philosophical end of the occult.


Anyway an interesting thing happened one day, while my group of friends were looking to go to the movies together.... I had forgotten a wind breaker jacket and asked that we stop by my house to get it. So my friends, not wanting to wait in the car followed me into my parent’s house where I was staying at the time. What caught me by surprise however was Jim’s exclamation upon immediately entering my parent’s house and looking off to the side where the Living room / organ practice room was. “THERE’S A LOT OF POWER COMING FROM THAT ROOM!” is what he immediately blurted out.



It's interesting in all my talking to this person he was the most close minded person I knew as far as being willing to consider the Gospel as far as all my conversations and interactions of him went. However, his pride and skepticism was momentarily challenged by coming into contact with a Christian sacred space. This story should likewise encourage others in their establishing sacred spaces within their homes, offices etc. For in the Bible, people, objects and places that become dedicated to God become vessels that reflect some aspect of his power and glory. So I would submit establishing sacred spaces is yet another way we can witness to Christ and “occupy until returns” (Luke 19:13)


PS – The great irony of this story as well is parents are non-charismatic. My father is somewhat open to the idea, but my mother can legitimately be called a charismaphobic (very afraid of Holy Rollers). The great irony is in Eastern Orthodox terms much of the worship that “charged” the room with the air of the supernatural came from a lady who is deathly afraid of such things! This itself hopefully will be an encouragement for folks afraid that there “Faith is too weak” for the charisms etc.

Click to expand...