Life of an Orthodox Christian - A Brief Depiction (Pencils & Prayer Ropes)

[Pavel Mosko]

A Facebook friend (Father) Barnabas Powell posted this on his Facebook wall. Seems pretty good so far (still watching it)! I really like the artistic style of it. So far it seems like it is a nice little Cliff Notes primer on being Eastern Orthodox.

 

[Asphose]

A Facebook friend (Father) Barnabas Powell posted this on his Facebook wall. Seems pretty good so far (still watching it)! I really like the artistic style of it. So far it seems like it is a nice little Cliff Notes primer on being Eastern Orthodox.

This was really informative, thanks for sharing! I did have a few questions though

 

[Not David]

Bible Illustrated can have good and interesting videos but I don't like how he criticized the Toll Houses and defending Sister Vassa's advice.

(Take me at grant since I am a graceless catechumen)

 

[AMM]

This was really informative, thanks for sharing! I did have a few questions though

What are your questions? The people on here would love to help answer any questions you may have

 

[AMM]

Bible Illustrated can have good and interesting videos but I don't like how he criticized the Toll Houses and defending Sister Vassa's advice.

(Take me at grant since I am a graceless catechumen)

I didn’t like his defense of Sr Vassa either - not because of how I feel about her advice one way or another, but I feel like he was disrespectful towards the Bishops. I might be remembering wrong

And I thought the toll house video was helpful for me, but I’m also very uneducated on the topic of toll houses

 

[ArmyMatt]

yep, generally it's good stuff

 

[Not David]

I didn’t like his defense of Sr Vassa either - not because of how I feel about her advice one way or another, but I feel like he was disrespectful towards the Bishops. I might be remembering wrong

And I thought the toll house video was helpful for me, but I’m also very uneducated on the topic of toll houses

He seems to be a little critical of bishops in general

 

[Asphose]

What are your questions? The people on here would love to help answer any questions you may have

Great thanks! Here are my first batch in the first 3 minutes:

1. In the video, he said that Orthodox Christians believe that Christ didn’t die for us to take our place or pay the penalty, but he rose from the dead to pull us out the grave which was never meant to be our ultimate destination.

Now I don’t agree with this because it would be illegal and go against the word of God. The bible says that that wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23 ), so a penalty must be paid right?

1. I also see that the Holy Spirit is rarely mentioned at all, do orthodox Christians not believe that he’s carrying out his ministry today through us?
2. Is being aided by saints scriptural? I mean they’re dead…
3. Where in the bible does it say that angels pray for us?
4. Why are the fathers of the traditional church the ones to guide you through scriptures when Jesus said the Holy Spirit will teach us how?
5. I never understood the point of indicating you’re christ’s with hand signs, he said that he’s already sealed you (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) and we were also told how to deal with demons in Ephesians 6.

 

[ArmyMatt]

1. we would say no. a wage is something earned, not a penalty that is incurred.

1. every service we do begins with an invocation to the Holy Spirit.

2. yes, it is Scriptural. 2 Peter 1:14,15.

3. Revelation.

4. because we know the Fathers were illumined by the Spirit.

5. because Christ did hand signs.

 

[Asphose]

1) Then your sins have earned you death. Really can't think otherwise from that scripture. If not it would mean we don't die because of Sin.

2) I mean more about the holy spirit living in us and guiding us through scriptures.

3) Yes through the word's they've shared in the bible while they were alive, but not any more or do you believe that they're praying for you even now in heaven?

4) I don't get how that can be a revelation if theres no basis or even a reference for it in the bible. There's a lot you could say and just call a revelation, even if it's from God you can still link it to scriptures.

5) I'm unsure of what the Fathers taught so I can't say I agree with this or not. But that's pretty interesting

6) How do we know? And even so who says it wards off attacks from demons

 

[AMM]

1) Then your sins have earned you death. Really can't think otherwise from that scripture. If not it would mean we don't die because of Sin.

sin separates us from God, who is the source of life. So our sins do earn us death, and we are saved by being united to Life (Christ)

2) I mean more about the holy spirit living in us and guiding us through scriptures.

The Holy Spirit is active and does guide us, guard us, give us strength to pray, prays within us, sanctifies us, etc.

3) Yes through the word's they've shared in the bible while they were alive, but not any more or do you believe that they're praying for you even now in heaven?

Yep, they're praying even now, they're alive in Christ. Revelation 8 teaches us this

4) I don't get how that can be a revelation if theres no basis or even a reference for it in the bible. There's a lot you could say and just call a revelation, even if it's from God you can still link it to scriptures.

I think he meant the book of Revelation, not a private personal revelation

5) I'm unsure of what the Fathers taught so I can't say I agree with this or not. But that's pretty interesting

yep, we can read their stories and see the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives

6) How do we know? And even so who says it wards off attacks from demons

Because the demons flee from the cross, since the cross is our salvation ("we preach Christ crucified", among other things St Paul says), so when we make the sign of the cross, that turns away the demons

 

[ArmyMatt]

1. right, so death is not the penalty of sin, it's the outcome.

2. then read our prayers before we read Scripture. we're always invoking the Spirit.

3. yes, they are praying now. St Peter says after he dies he will continue.

4. I meant the book of Revelation.

5. then you should read them. especially since the earliest ones learned directly from the Apostles.

6. it's in Luke's Gospel

 

[Pavel Mosko]

1) Then your sins have earned you death. Really can't think otherwise from that scripture. If not it would mean we don't die because of Sin.

2) I mean more about the holy spirit living in us and guiding us through scriptures.

3) Yes through the word's they've shared in the bible while they were alive, but not any more or do you believe that they're praying for you even now in heaven?

4) I don't get how that can be a revelation if theres no basis or even a reference for it in the bible. There's a lot you could say and just call a revelation, even if it's from God you can still link it to scriptures.

5) I'm unsure of what the Fathers taught so I can't say I agree with this or not. But that's pretty interesting

6) How do we know? And even so who says it wards off attacks from demons

Asphose you might want to check out the terms of service for this specific forum, aka "The Ancient Way". The EO here are nice and use to dealing with questions, objections, and skepticism etc. and even welcome it to some degree but this board isn't really meant for debating EO beliefs as scriptural etc.". There are however places for that if that is your interest.

Statement of Purpose - The Ancient Way - Eastern Orthodox Statement of Purpose