I've already banned one comment for being obnoxious and snobby. Can people please try to understand that when you see something that does NOT represent your faith, you DO HAVE an option to leave it alone, not throw rocks of condemnation at it. Thanks to this post now you know how Orthodox Christians view Mary.
Nobody asked anybody to agree, or morph suddenly into one. But I do ask you to try to respect that you don't need to OBJECT to and ALTER everything that is not like you. You can learn and just observe: "Oh, so that is how OTHERS perceive or feel."
It's really childish and rude to start GUILT TRIPPING people when they put forth a perspective not your own. And no, I am not Catholic. But I note the hint of strong salt with which the question is asked.
I'm very much enjoying my study of Orthodoxy. Much of what I am reading was written by Father Spyridon, an English speaking priest of ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) who converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism.
I got hooked because of books he wrote such as "The UFO Deception." And I was surprised to find that he was able to define certain words such as 'Repentance' in a way that completely changed my understanding, or rather, corrected my understanding. His book "Small Steps Into the Kingdom" is a great place to start if you are curious about Orthodoxy.
Wow THE Greg Reese. Absolutely love all your information. Thanks. I'd also humbly suggest a High Latin Mass. It's the Mass of the ages of the one true Catholic Church. My best to you
As a Catholic I'm terribly sorry for the bad experience others have caused you by their unkind remarks. I didn't plan to comment until I read about that.
I very much look forward to viewing the video you shared and learning how Orthodox Christians view Mary. Until then, I'll just politely add that praying to Mary to intercede with her Son has given me great comfort since childhood. It's something I was taught as a little girl in Catholic school.
We are all on a journey for truth Celia. What matters is that you are my sister in Christ. I am an ex-Catholic Protestant. I had many questions also which I always try to find in the pages of my Bible. What really opened my eyes though to some questions was a video series on YT called "Third Adam" by Missionary Spencer Smith. I found it very interesting, educational, and eye-opening. There is also another channel I love called Deep Believer where Christians from all walks of life, denominations, and past traumas give their Christian witness. Never stop being curious, He gave us the free will to question everything and find our way back to Him.
Again: This is the Orthodox view. Nobody needs to be Orthodox, but this is their view. And the prayers are the Rosary are in fact in the Bible so watch out for tropes everybody.
Show me where the rosary prayers are in the bible and I'll show you where they are not. I say this to help people understand scripture properly, because Jesus said, 'man will not live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God. ' If it isn't from the mouth of God,...it is the doctrines of man. A place of sinking sand. Just saying.
So I looked it up. About half the prayers are straight from the Bible. The angel said to Mary, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." When Mary visited Elizabeth, Elizabeth said, "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." The rosary also contains the Lord's prayer, so named because it was given by Jesus. At the start of each "decade" a scene from Christ's life is recalled, such as the carrying of the cross and the crucifixion. The only prayer I didn't see in the Bible is this one-- "Glory be to the Father, and to the son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be." Maybe that last one isn't biblical but I don't see how Christians could object to it.
You're welcome, and thank you. You piqued my curiosity with this one, so I did a little research. I am moving into a more Christian position in my own understandings. There seem to be so many sects each claiming to have "the" truth that's it more than a little confusing. Here's hoping for more understanding for, and from, all of us in the coming year.
The beginning words of the hail Mary prayer are directly from the archangel Gabriel. I just googled "Where did the hail Mary prayer come from." and that's what I found.
Hail is a salutation. He was addressing her in person. Stop rationalizing this stuff. It is sin and idolatry to pray to Mary. Read the first two commandments.
You sir are a heretic and blind to the truth. You are the Chief rationalizer in this thread. Just stubborn and it will show in the end. Happy barbecue! 😂
As I just pointed out,...the bible speaks against it. so praying a rosary goes against what the bible says. In fact I just did a study where it was pointed out that most churches pray exactly how Jesus warns not to pray. Don't twist the scriptures.
Many Catholics are converting to the Orthodox church. I'm Catholic. I returned in January 2022 after being away for 37 years. I've been to Russia a couple times since my return to Catholicism in early 2022. I've researched the religion. I wasn't aware of their doctrine. The Catholics broke off from Orthodox...because the Catholics were changing the rules. They kept Rome...The Orthodox held onto Constantinople. I was clueless about The Great Schism.
That was such a sensitive explanation of Mary’s place in Christianity. Like you, I always had questions about Mary and his clarifications brought me to a place of peace. Thank you for sharing.
I'm guessing that you are catholic. No where in GOD'S word does it say to pray to anyone other than the LORD GOD thru the name of Yeshua, GOD'S son. Do the research, it is out there, and you will find the origin of the false belief of praying to people that only the Roman church designate as :saints" including Mary.
I was baptized Catholic as an infant; baptized Protestant as a young adult; baptized Eastern Orthodox in my mid-30s (I'm so covered ;)). In my mind, the Catholics were too legalistic and captured by modernity. The protestants, well, I never embraced that really as I felt it was mostly about condemnation and emotional manipulation (just my opinion). Then I discovered Eastern Orthodoxy which I found to be profound and beautiful. It is by no means the end all answer to understanding the Truth as I believe much has been hidden by the church over the centuries but Orthodoxy seemed closer to the Truth than anything I had experienced before. The comments saying Mary "The Holy Theotokos" or any Saint is worshiped as a deity is an incorrect understanding of the faith.
Hmmmm sounds like he is a different version of orthodox than I've heard of. He didn't address on what biblical basis he believes we can petition humans in heaven. It's an interesting thought but, altho I do mutter to my granny and parents who are with Jesus, to expect them to be able to influence my life seems very close to what God forbid in the OT - communing with the dead and calling them forth as happened with Saul. I believe the eastern orthodox would say that Mary and other "dead" are co-supplicants with us and we can ask them to petition Jesus for us. That is a nice thought but.... can the dead really read our minds, seeing as a lot of praying is done in our heads. hmmmm ... not sure I like that ;)
Mary appeared to people and performed miracles post death?...... that is not in Scripture anywhere... nor did she say she would not leave us...
While the mother/son/king examples are a nice touch I don't think you can extrapolate what happens here in relationships to the dead or specifically to Mary/Jesus/throne... nor does the Bible say anywhere to ask Mary to intercede. It is Jesus who sits at the right hand of God and intercedes on our behalf. Upon Jesus' death the veil was rent in two and there was no longer any need for a priest to go between us and God. We have direct access to the Almighty, thanks to Jesus death and resurrection.
I have to stick to Scripture only and I don't see Mary as being especially upheld... but believing what he presents here is certainly not a requirement or negation for salvation so I'm happy to worship along side anyone who believes Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, born of a virgin, walked among us, was crucified and rose again.
If you are truly looking for truth let me suggest something. Jesus said " I am the truth." The readers digest version of my spiritual life is I was raised Catholic. Head altar boy, baptized, confirmed, stations of the cross and all the traditions. God eventually showed me the error of all that. Lived in and for the world for 40 years and it was great. Do you know scripture says there is pleasure in sin? Hebrews 11:25. Even though I'm having a supernatural time now,...I had great times back then. In my career I started working freelance with a company where I dealt with 4 different guys. The company was run by a Christian and the most senior guy was also raised Catholic and he was then Alliance or something. Another guy was an elder in the Presbyterian church, another guy actually married the pastor's daughter at the baptist church he grew up in and another guy was from some other denomination, and there were others. They talked to me about faith stuff all the time and I did a wonderful job at debating them back. Finally one of them showed up at my office and gave me a book by CS Lewis called Mere Christianity. He not only answered properly all the questions they weren't giving me sound answers to, but answered questions I wasn't ready to ask yet. Over the next few years I read all of the 20 apologetic books on Christianity that CS Lewis wrote (not his children's writings). After all that I believed the scriptures were the authentic word of God,.....but that didn't make me born again, as it was head knowledge, and God has to do something in your heart for you to see. A few months in the scriptures with an aid and God happened to me at the cross in the book of Mark. That is just how God got to me and it will be individual for each person whose name is already written in the book of life. God doesn't own a cookie cutter. If you want your heart changed to know your name is in that book,...don't follow any man. Don't join any denomination. Do you know the root of that word? It is denominator. That word is a noun and represents the number below the line in a fraction, a divisor. God showed me that each denomination indicates a group of people who take only their small division of the holy scriptures and they build a temple to it. And they circle it like the jews in the wilderness kept going around the same mountains. A dangerous place to be. Read Matthew 7:21-23. As I've said several times in the comments, which only a few understood, God wants a relationship with you,....and He hates religion. Religion actually crucified Him. Start a journey that will show you if you want what He offers. Most people don't want it, but you will only find out face to face with Him. And you will not be face to face with cute little baby Jesus. Next time He will be seen, men's hearts will fail them as a flaming sword will come out of His mouth devouring everyone who He says in Matthew,...."I never knew you!" God loves you, but you have to go to His door and knock. When the rich young ruler, "who Jesus loved", walked away from Him sad, Jesus didn't chase after him. Everyone will successfully reach the destiny of their own decisions. Eternity in glory is a free gift but it will cost you everything. Eternity for most will be filled with the never ending cry and agony of regret. And that Celia,...is the truth.
Revelation is not understood from a Catholic religious mindset. Proverbs says, 'in all your getting, get understanding.' Religion has zero understanding,...only those with the Holy Spirit.
The biblical scholar Brad Pitre has written several very beautiful books about this Marian theology and Christology that everyone should read. Fr. James Mawdsley is currently putting out a series of books on mystical biblical theology/exegesis, one of which treats Mary. He was just interviewed on Vendée Radio ( https://youtu.be/C2ataNbTpMQ?si=BNyW92xoEZhgSsYw ) discussing the relationship between the Church and the Jews. It’s hardcore, and a bit provocative, but I think everyone might become a bit wiser listening to him.
The historically meaningful debates between the various partitions of Christianity seem to me to be ending. The Reformation and Counter Reformation are definitely spent. What Jonathan Pageau says about the paradox of Peter and the Church, Christ and anti Christ here ( https://youtu.be/LHSV8_c2WiE?si=MVhq466frZIV5kbW ) seems to me profoundly relevant, and true. Humanism and liberalism are Christian heresies that without Christ are collapsing, secularism is fruit of Jewish and Christian apostasy, the Incarnation of Christ makes the reactionary appearance of anti Christ in all his various historical manifestations perpetually imminent, inevitable.
The Church in all its historical forms, manifestations is collapsing about our ears. Rome is essentially apostate, now. The protestant churches are frittering away into irrelevance. The Ecumenical Patriarch and Moscow (Second and Third Rime) are at defacto war with each other. There is corruption and decadence of the worst most occult satanic sort, everywhere.
The truly beautiful transcendent hope we have is that as Father says in this video here, a teenaged girl from the repeatedly subjugated, Galilean (defeated Northern Kingdom Israeli) non Judaean town of Nazareth assented to God’s will two thousand years ago, and through her assent saved humanity. By her humility she became Queen of all humanity.
Every division, theological political economic ethnic or otherwise is healed by this fact. Ave Gratia Plena, Dominus tecum, benedictus tu in mulieribus, et benedictus Fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccitoribus, nunc et inhora mortis nostrae.. Amen.
The iconography in that church is extraordinary. Will re-watch it just for the sacred art. Appreciate knowing the Orthodox theology about Mary. I feel a special reverence for her and appreciate what you offer to go deeper.
I’m stoked you shared this video! I’ve been attending an Orthodox Church for about a year now. My mom is perplexed about why we pray to Mary and this is a concise explanation. Thanks and may God bless your journey.
Great lectures and classes at the Institute of Catholic Culture, including recordings and live teaching over Zoom.
Soon to begin, Augustine's Confessions, translated by Substack's Professor Anthony Esolen, and a class on Patristics taught by Prof John Pepino. This kind of material nourishes the souls and feeds and encourages the mind.
Not sure how orthodox Christian is defined, but the bible makes no suggestion that we ought pray to Mary. She was blessed for believing God's word, just as Abraham was, but once Jesus got to his Father's business, Mary was just another woman in his life, though, special enough that Jesus secured her livelihood through John, as he died upon the cross.
I'm not Catholic, but that seems wrong to me. Just another woman in his life? Is your mother just another woman in your life? Jesus was a man as well as God, and called himself the son of man on occasions. I'm sure he loved his mother deeply as a man. Mary, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, said, "From now on, generations will call me blessed." Seems like this faith is doing just that.
Don: the issue here is that, while Mary is/should be venerated as the mother of Christ, there's nothing in the Bible that should justify that. There's no 'Book of Mary'. There's no sense of what Mary did, other than give birth to the Christ.
Catholics venerate Mary, but one might say, were one an atheist, that the veneration was a cynical ploy to pull women into Catholicism... And if you look at any Catholic nation... it seems to have worked.
In Catholicism, the faith encompasses much more than what is contained in the Bible. I can understand the difficulty for some of those who aren't to grasp that.
Why would one need a cynical ploy to pull women into Catholicism? And what am I supposed to see when I look at any Catholic nation? I'm not following your logic.
For myself, as a Catholic, She is the "greatest honor bestowed upon humanity' and by that it is meant that She said 'yes', yes that is to becoming the Mother of God and yes, to us as sinners because through free will She could have chosen not to. She is the epitome of the acceptance of God's will for one's life and , also, of virtue.
We’re not “praying to” Mary as if she is God, we’re praying with and through her, because she is our advocate and intercessor before God. There’s a deep mystery here, but we know that Moses (presumably) Enoch, Elijah and perhaps John the Apostle were present in the Mount of Transfiguration, that Enoch and Elijah were assumed inti Heaven. They are before the Lord, able to take our prayers to Him, the incense of the saints rising into Heaven. She was assumed like Enoch and Elijah, she like them.
I’m not interested in hashing out whether she died before her Assumption as the Orthodox hold, which is why they call the Assumption the Dormition. I’ll just say that if Enoch and Elijah didn’t die before being assumed, I’m pretty dang sure she didn’t, either. This question of original sin is relevant here, because sin causes death, and Catholics (I) hold she being absolutely beyond sin in her cooperation with grace could not die.
Again, these are profoundly mysterious questions, and I personally won’t gainsay the likes of Karl Barth.
Jesus Christ is the great high priest. Hebrews 4 v. 14-16 says
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We have need of no other advocate or intercessor. Anything other than this is heretical and idolatrous.
I've already banned one comment for being obnoxious and snobby. Can people please try to understand that when you see something that does NOT represent your faith, you DO HAVE an option to leave it alone, not throw rocks of condemnation at it. Thanks to this post now you know how Orthodox Christians view Mary.
Nobody asked anybody to agree, or morph suddenly into one. But I do ask you to try to respect that you don't need to OBJECT to and ALTER everything that is not like you. You can learn and just observe: "Oh, so that is how OTHERS perceive or feel."
It's really childish and rude to start GUILT TRIPPING people when they put forth a perspective not your own. And no, I am not Catholic. But I note the hint of strong salt with which the question is asked.
This is a beautiful explanation. Orthodoxy’s simplicity and precision to traditional practice is so appealing to me.
Greg: This all came from you mentioning Orthodox Christianity.
I'm very much enjoying my study of Orthodoxy. Much of what I am reading was written by Father Spyridon, an English speaking priest of ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia) who converted to Orthodoxy from Protestantism.
His YouTube channel is full of great videos:
https://youtube.com/@FatherSpyridonROCOR?si=C9sDx8omKYKjpo9e
I got hooked because of books he wrote such as "The UFO Deception." And I was surprised to find that he was able to define certain words such as 'Repentance' in a way that completely changed my understanding, or rather, corrected my understanding. His book "Small Steps Into the Kingdom" is a great place to start if you are curious about Orthodoxy.
I would encourage you to attend a service at an Orthodox Parish. It’s called Divine Liturgy and it’s a beautiful experience.
Wow THE Greg Reese. Absolutely love all your information. Thanks. I'd also humbly suggest a High Latin Mass. It's the Mass of the ages of the one true Catholic Church. My best to you
As a Catholic I'm terribly sorry for the bad experience others have caused you by their unkind remarks. I didn't plan to comment until I read about that.
I very much look forward to viewing the video you shared and learning how Orthodox Christians view Mary. Until then, I'll just politely add that praying to Mary to intercede with her Son has given me great comfort since childhood. It's something I was taught as a little girl in Catholic school.
Thank you, Taylor, and ditto for me. In fact, my relationship with Christ is only what it is because of Her.
We are all on a journey for truth Celia. What matters is that you are my sister in Christ. I am an ex-Catholic Protestant. I had many questions also which I always try to find in the pages of my Bible. What really opened my eyes though to some questions was a video series on YT called "Third Adam" by Missionary Spencer Smith. I found it very interesting, educational, and eye-opening. There is also another channel I love called Deep Believer where Christians from all walks of life, denominations, and past traumas give their Christian witness. Never stop being curious, He gave us the free will to question everything and find our way back to Him.
Thank you Tom, I just really want people to see what is happening.
Again: This is the Orthodox view. Nobody needs to be Orthodox, but this is their view. And the prayers are the Rosary are in fact in the Bible so watch out for tropes everybody.
Show me where the rosary prayers are in the bible and I'll show you where they are not. I say this to help people understand scripture properly, because Jesus said, 'man will not live on bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of God. ' If it isn't from the mouth of God,...it is the doctrines of man. A place of sinking sand. Just saying.
So I looked it up. About half the prayers are straight from the Bible. The angel said to Mary, "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee." When Mary visited Elizabeth, Elizabeth said, "Blessed art thou amongst women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb." The rosary also contains the Lord's prayer, so named because it was given by Jesus. At the start of each "decade" a scene from Christ's life is recalled, such as the carrying of the cross and the crucifixion. The only prayer I didn't see in the Bible is this one-- "Glory be to the Father, and to the son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be." Maybe that last one isn't biblical but I don't see how Christians could object to it.
Thank you.
You're welcome, and thank you. You piqued my curiosity with this one, so I did a little research. I am moving into a more Christian position in my own understandings. There seem to be so many sects each claiming to have "the" truth that's it more than a little confusing. Here's hoping for more understanding for, and from, all of us in the coming year.
These examples you give are women acknowledging her,...they weren't praying to her. That would be idolatry.
The beginning words of the hail Mary prayer are directly from the archangel Gabriel. I just googled "Where did the hail Mary prayer come from." and that's what I found.
Hail is a salutation. He was addressing her in person. Stop rationalizing this stuff. It is sin and idolatry to pray to Mary. Read the first two commandments.
Haha, ok. Have a good day buddy.
You sir are a heretic and blind to the truth. You are the Chief rationalizer in this thread. Just stubborn and it will show in the end. Happy barbecue! 😂
Matthew 6:7 KJV
But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.
Ok, but how does that bear on your original point that its not biblical?
As I just pointed out,...the bible speaks against it. so praying a rosary goes against what the bible says. In fact I just did a study where it was pointed out that most churches pray exactly how Jesus warns not to pray. Don't twist the scriptures.
Who are you to judge if someone’s prayers are ‘vain repetition’
Ok.
If you really want to learn, look up Brandt Pitre and do some of his Bible studies.
Thank you for posting! We welcome you to visit our Orthodox Church services. 🙂
StSergius.net
I would visit immediately if I were back in New York. Thank you! When I am back, I will definitely come over. It's all I can think about lately.
I look forward to seeing you.
Many Catholics are converting to the Orthodox church. I'm Catholic. I returned in January 2022 after being away for 37 years. I've been to Russia a couple times since my return to Catholicism in early 2022. I've researched the religion. I wasn't aware of their doctrine. The Catholics broke off from Orthodox...because the Catholics were changing the rules. They kept Rome...The Orthodox held onto Constantinople. I was clueless about The Great Schism.
Wrong. The Orthodox broke off from the Catholic church. It's the original and so any aberration is the one leaving
You are correct. The Catholic church is the original satan.
Make sure your transitioning to ?? is ordained by the homosexual empowering pope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcbKoY7XpJE
Beautiful. Evocative/haunting.
That was such a sensitive explanation of Mary’s place in Christianity. Like you, I always had questions about Mary and his clarifications brought me to a place of peace. Thank you for sharing.
I'm guessing that you are catholic. No where in GOD'S word does it say to pray to anyone other than the LORD GOD thru the name of Yeshua, GOD'S son. Do the research, it is out there, and you will find the origin of the false belief of praying to people that only the Roman church designate as :saints" including Mary.
I am not Catholic, no. I have been searching for the answer to this and this is the answer, for me. Hard to say why. It's subjective.
I was baptized Catholic as an infant; baptized Protestant as a young adult; baptized Eastern Orthodox in my mid-30s (I'm so covered ;)). In my mind, the Catholics were too legalistic and captured by modernity. The protestants, well, I never embraced that really as I felt it was mostly about condemnation and emotional manipulation (just my opinion). Then I discovered Eastern Orthodoxy which I found to be profound and beautiful. It is by no means the end all answer to understanding the Truth as I believe much has been hidden by the church over the centuries but Orthodoxy seemed closer to the Truth than anything I had experienced before. The comments saying Mary "The Holy Theotokos" or any Saint is worshiped as a deity is an incorrect understanding of the faith.
He addresses this.
Hmmmm sounds like he is a different version of orthodox than I've heard of. He didn't address on what biblical basis he believes we can petition humans in heaven. It's an interesting thought but, altho I do mutter to my granny and parents who are with Jesus, to expect them to be able to influence my life seems very close to what God forbid in the OT - communing with the dead and calling them forth as happened with Saul. I believe the eastern orthodox would say that Mary and other "dead" are co-supplicants with us and we can ask them to petition Jesus for us. That is a nice thought but.... can the dead really read our minds, seeing as a lot of praying is done in our heads. hmmmm ... not sure I like that ;)
Mary appeared to people and performed miracles post death?...... that is not in Scripture anywhere... nor did she say she would not leave us...
While the mother/son/king examples are a nice touch I don't think you can extrapolate what happens here in relationships to the dead or specifically to Mary/Jesus/throne... nor does the Bible say anywhere to ask Mary to intercede. It is Jesus who sits at the right hand of God and intercedes on our behalf. Upon Jesus' death the veil was rent in two and there was no longer any need for a priest to go between us and God. We have direct access to the Almighty, thanks to Jesus death and resurrection.
I have to stick to Scripture only and I don't see Mary as being especially upheld... but believing what he presents here is certainly not a requirement or negation for salvation so I'm happy to worship along side anyone who believes Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, born of a virgin, walked among us, was crucified and rose again.
If you are truly looking for truth let me suggest something. Jesus said " I am the truth." The readers digest version of my spiritual life is I was raised Catholic. Head altar boy, baptized, confirmed, stations of the cross and all the traditions. God eventually showed me the error of all that. Lived in and for the world for 40 years and it was great. Do you know scripture says there is pleasure in sin? Hebrews 11:25. Even though I'm having a supernatural time now,...I had great times back then. In my career I started working freelance with a company where I dealt with 4 different guys. The company was run by a Christian and the most senior guy was also raised Catholic and he was then Alliance or something. Another guy was an elder in the Presbyterian church, another guy actually married the pastor's daughter at the baptist church he grew up in and another guy was from some other denomination, and there were others. They talked to me about faith stuff all the time and I did a wonderful job at debating them back. Finally one of them showed up at my office and gave me a book by CS Lewis called Mere Christianity. He not only answered properly all the questions they weren't giving me sound answers to, but answered questions I wasn't ready to ask yet. Over the next few years I read all of the 20 apologetic books on Christianity that CS Lewis wrote (not his children's writings). After all that I believed the scriptures were the authentic word of God,.....but that didn't make me born again, as it was head knowledge, and God has to do something in your heart for you to see. A few months in the scriptures with an aid and God happened to me at the cross in the book of Mark. That is just how God got to me and it will be individual for each person whose name is already written in the book of life. God doesn't own a cookie cutter. If you want your heart changed to know your name is in that book,...don't follow any man. Don't join any denomination. Do you know the root of that word? It is denominator. That word is a noun and represents the number below the line in a fraction, a divisor. God showed me that each denomination indicates a group of people who take only their small division of the holy scriptures and they build a temple to it. And they circle it like the jews in the wilderness kept going around the same mountains. A dangerous place to be. Read Matthew 7:21-23. As I've said several times in the comments, which only a few understood, God wants a relationship with you,....and He hates religion. Religion actually crucified Him. Start a journey that will show you if you want what He offers. Most people don't want it, but you will only find out face to face with Him. And you will not be face to face with cute little baby Jesus. Next time He will be seen, men's hearts will fail them as a flaming sword will come out of His mouth devouring everyone who He says in Matthew,...."I never knew you!" God loves you, but you have to go to His door and knock. When the rich young ruler, "who Jesus loved", walked away from Him sad, Jesus didn't chase after him. Everyone will successfully reach the destiny of their own decisions. Eternity in glory is a free gift but it will cost you everything. Eternity for most will be filled with the never ending cry and agony of regret. And that Celia,...is the truth.
I guess you don't study revelation then.
Revelation is not understood from a Catholic religious mindset. Proverbs says, 'in all your getting, get understanding.' Religion has zero understanding,...only those with the Holy Spirit.
The biblical scholar Brad Pitre has written several very beautiful books about this Marian theology and Christology that everyone should read. Fr. James Mawdsley is currently putting out a series of books on mystical biblical theology/exegesis, one of which treats Mary. He was just interviewed on Vendée Radio ( https://youtu.be/C2ataNbTpMQ?si=BNyW92xoEZhgSsYw ) discussing the relationship between the Church and the Jews. It’s hardcore, and a bit provocative, but I think everyone might become a bit wiser listening to him.
The historically meaningful debates between the various partitions of Christianity seem to me to be ending. The Reformation and Counter Reformation are definitely spent. What Jonathan Pageau says about the paradox of Peter and the Church, Christ and anti Christ here ( https://youtu.be/LHSV8_c2WiE?si=MVhq466frZIV5kbW ) seems to me profoundly relevant, and true. Humanism and liberalism are Christian heresies that without Christ are collapsing, secularism is fruit of Jewish and Christian apostasy, the Incarnation of Christ makes the reactionary appearance of anti Christ in all his various historical manifestations perpetually imminent, inevitable.
The Church in all its historical forms, manifestations is collapsing about our ears. Rome is essentially apostate, now. The protestant churches are frittering away into irrelevance. The Ecumenical Patriarch and Moscow (Second and Third Rime) are at defacto war with each other. There is corruption and decadence of the worst most occult satanic sort, everywhere.
The truly beautiful transcendent hope we have is that as Father says in this video here, a teenaged girl from the repeatedly subjugated, Galilean (defeated Northern Kingdom Israeli) non Judaean town of Nazareth assented to God’s will two thousand years ago, and through her assent saved humanity. By her humility she became Queen of all humanity.
Every division, theological political economic ethnic or otherwise is healed by this fact. Ave Gratia Plena, Dominus tecum, benedictus tu in mulieribus, et benedictus Fructus ventris tui, Jesus. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, ora pro nobis peccitoribus, nunc et inhora mortis nostrae.. Amen.
It’s Brandt and yes, he is brilliant and his Bible Studies exemplary
The iconography in that church is extraordinary. Will re-watch it just for the sacred art. Appreciate knowing the Orthodox theology about Mary. I feel a special reverence for her and appreciate what you offer to go deeper.
Thank you Celia
The Theotokos.
I’m stoked you shared this video! I’ve been attending an Orthodox Church for about a year now. My mom is perplexed about why we pray to Mary and this is a concise explanation. Thanks and may God bless your journey.
I like this priest and have subscribed. I too am drawn to the Orthodox church, although I live in a rural area where there is no established one.
I only recently learned about Our Lady of Zeitoun, Egypt, a quite remarkable story. In case others are as ignorant as me:
https://search.brave.com/search?q=virgin+mary+zeitoun+egypt&source=web
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMEWxRB-1dc
Mary, the new Eve https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/share/c6174a4486bc9c27146149ff0a40fa56
Great lectures and classes at the Institute of Catholic Culture, including recordings and live teaching over Zoom.
Soon to begin, Augustine's Confessions, translated by Substack's Professor Anthony Esolen, and a class on Patristics taught by Prof John Pepino. This kind of material nourishes the souls and feeds and encourages the mind.
Not sure how orthodox Christian is defined, but the bible makes no suggestion that we ought pray to Mary. She was blessed for believing God's word, just as Abraham was, but once Jesus got to his Father's business, Mary was just another woman in his life, though, special enough that Jesus secured her livelihood through John, as he died upon the cross.
I'm not Catholic, but that seems wrong to me. Just another woman in his life? Is your mother just another woman in your life? Jesus was a man as well as God, and called himself the son of man on occasions. I'm sure he loved his mother deeply as a man. Mary, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, said, "From now on, generations will call me blessed." Seems like this faith is doing just that.
Don: the issue here is that, while Mary is/should be venerated as the mother of Christ, there's nothing in the Bible that should justify that. There's no 'Book of Mary'. There's no sense of what Mary did, other than give birth to the Christ.
Catholics venerate Mary, but one might say, were one an atheist, that the veneration was a cynical ploy to pull women into Catholicism... And if you look at any Catholic nation... it seems to have worked.
ShiYen
In Catholicism, the faith encompasses much more than what is contained in the Bible. I can understand the difficulty for some of those who aren't to grasp that.
Mary prompted Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding feast of Cana
Why would one need a cynical ploy to pull women into Catholicism? And what am I supposed to see when I look at any Catholic nation? I'm not following your logic.
There's also no book of Luther. Thanks be to God for that. He was a violent idiot
Judge not lest you be judged. Amen!
Yes, the rise of the Divine Feminine is a New Age belief. Missionary Spencer Smith on YT has a series called "Third Adam" about all of this.
For myself, as a Catholic, She is the "greatest honor bestowed upon humanity' and by that it is meant that She said 'yes', yes that is to becoming the Mother of God and yes, to us as sinners because through free will She could have chosen not to. She is the epitome of the acceptance of God's will for one's life and , also, of virtue.
We’re not “praying to” Mary as if she is God, we’re praying with and through her, because she is our advocate and intercessor before God. There’s a deep mystery here, but we know that Moses (presumably) Enoch, Elijah and perhaps John the Apostle were present in the Mount of Transfiguration, that Enoch and Elijah were assumed inti Heaven. They are before the Lord, able to take our prayers to Him, the incense of the saints rising into Heaven. She was assumed like Enoch and Elijah, she like them.
I’m not interested in hashing out whether she died before her Assumption as the Orthodox hold, which is why they call the Assumption the Dormition. I’ll just say that if Enoch and Elijah didn’t die before being assumed, I’m pretty dang sure she didn’t, either. This question of original sin is relevant here, because sin causes death, and Catholics (I) hold she being absolutely beyond sin in her cooperation with grace could not die.
Again, these are profoundly mysterious questions, and I personally won’t gainsay the likes of Karl Barth.
I go straight to my Father. He is my Creator. I love Him with all of my heart and all of my soul.
Scripture does not say we pray through her. Rev. 22:18
Jesus Christ is the great high priest. Hebrews 4 v. 14-16 says
Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
We have need of no other advocate or intercessor. Anything other than this is heretical and idolatrous.