It seems to be commonly held among scholars that the so-called monarchical episcopate (i.e. the system of having one bishop governing a city church with presbyters working with him) was not apostolic and did not come to Rome until the late second century or even later. That is the opinion of scholars such as Alistair Stewart (in his commentary Hippolytus: On the Apostolic Tradition), Brent Allen (in his Hippolytus and the Roman Church in the Third Century), and others such as the late great J.N.D. Kelly. By this figuring the Christians in Rome had no one leader who spoke for all of them, but were divided into a number of self-governing communities with different leaders described by various titles. A single leader who could speak for all the communities in Rome only arose in the late second century (with Bishop Victor) or the early third century (with Bishop Pontianus). Writers such as Irenaeus who asserted there were such singular leaders and bishops in Rome from the days of the apostles were, according to this theory, anachronistically projecting back a later system into an earlier time. It also follows therefore that the document known as the Apostolic Tradition, ascribed to Hippolytus and dating from the early third century, cannot be taken as evidence of a monepiscopate in Rome at that time, but must be regarded as the result of extensive redaction. What are we to make of this? Need we dump that section of Irenaeus’ work?

In 1956 an American game show debuted called “To Tell the Truth”. Each round of the game introduced three people all claiming to be the same person, and a team of panelists would ask them questions. Those pretending to be the real (usually famous) person would make up answers, while the real person would answer truthfully. The inquiring panelists would then guess which was the real person. The host of the show would conclude by saying, “Will the real (name) please stand up?” and he or she would then stand up thereby revealing their identity and the accuracy of the panelists’ guesses.

There is today in the Orthodox Church a cult of personality—or, more precisely, of personalities, in the plural. That is, there are a number of men, mostly monastics and wearing the badge of “elder” who have set themselves up as judges and arbiters of Orthodox praxis. Most of the hubbub is over matters of ecumenism. Drawing upon the Fathers (often ripped from their historical context) these men declare that outside the Orthodox Church there is little or no grace and salvation. Accordingly, everyone who comes to Orthodoxy from another Christian confession must—not should, but must—be received by baptism, so that those who were received by chrismation must “correct” this “error” and be again baptized.

Commenting on the epistle reading of Paul to the Colossians, the Very Rev. Dr Bogdan Bucur concentrates on the idea that the passions we struggle with also lead us into idolatry. For “when Christ who is our life appears,” we either die to the passions, or we choose them over Him.This is a battle which happens in our hearts every day, as Christ has already appeared to us through our baptism, and continues to appear to us through our every encounter with Him spiritually and physically in the sacraments and the body of the Church.

I am told that during a very interesting and well-run radio show about deaconesses, it was agreed (or at least widely thought) that Phoebe, mentioned famously in Romans 16:1, was a deaconess. But was she?

As reported in the Byzantine Texas blogsite, the Ecumenical Patriarch is calling for a unified observance of Easter by next year, 2025, to coincide with the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea. In a sermon he said, “We beseech the Lord of Glory that the forthcoming Easter celebration next year will not merely be a fortuitous occurrence, but rather the beginning of a unified date for its observance by both Eastern and Western Christianity.” Patriarch Bartholomew went on to declare that it was “a scandal to celebrate separately the unique event of the one Resurrection of the One Lord”.

The feast of the Ascension is a feast of comfort and consolation for the people of God. But it can for some people represent a stumbling block. Looking at the ascension of Christ as it is narrated in Scriptures, does the Church then really believe that accepting the Ascension also involves accepting a literal three-storey universe?

I am sometimes asked if an Orthodox Christian can have an assurance that he or she will be saved. The question usually comes from my converts from Evangelicalism. They were previously taught that when one is saved, one is given the assurance that they are saved and this assurance offers a real and constant source of comfort. They ask me, “Were we misled? Can an Orthodox Christian have the same assurance of salvation?”

Thousands of years ago when I was a teenager and a brand-new Christian, I happened to read an article by S.G.F. Brandon about Jesus being a Zealot, in which he questioned much if not most of the Gospel portrait of Jesus and suggested that the Gospels (particularly that of Mark) constituted a whitewash of Jesus, eliminating His Zealotry from the Gospel picture to make Him and His movement more acceptable in Roman eyes. It was, of course, a precis of his 1967 book Jesus and the Zealots which created something of an academic dust up in its day.

Fr. Apostolos reminds us that unless we see our salvation in the face of Christ, there is no particular reason for joy at Christmas.

Fr. Apostolos discusses the final judgment of the human soul.

Fr. Apostolos shares about St. Mary of Egypt and other "rascal" saints.

Fr. Apostolos speaks from the Gospel of St. John, chapter 3, "For God so loved the world...," exhorting us that "love alone is the surety of our doctrinal purity."

Fr. Apostolos talks about the theme of light as it relates to the Feast of the Nativity.

In view of the national media's drumbeat of fear-mongering, Fr. Apostolos reminds us of angelic salutation "Fear not, for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy!"

Fr. Apostolos shares the story of the Nativity of Christ, interspersed with Christmas carols.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the history and importance of fasting.

Fr. Apostolos speaks about repentance as healing from the cancer of sin. Sin is that foreign substance in us which, if left untreated, will produce in us spiritual death, and God provides the treatment.

Fr. Apostolos talks about the key of humility that unlocks God's grace.

It being the parish's Stewardship Sunday, Fr. Apostolos speak about the means whereby our resources can be sacralized and our financial lives brought under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, through tithing.

Fr. Apostolos introduces the Lenten Prayer of St. Ephraim the Syrian, "O Lord and Master of my life..."

Fr. Apostolos addresses the inner meaning of the Feast of the Incarnation, through the perspective of the latest Star Wars film.

Fr. Apostolos Hill shares a homily centered on the Epistle reading and St. Paul's admonition that we exercise the spiritual gifts given to us for the building up of the Body of Christ.

Fr. Apostolos Hill dives into what we mean when we say, "Christ is born, Glorify Him" as well as other Orthodox Christmas meanings.

Fr. Apostolos Hill preaches on the Gospel reading about the difference between casual, ineffective prayer and the fervent prayer required of us in our present difficulties.

Using some recent surgeries in his eye, Fr. Apostolos Hill explains the importance of staying vigilant to the blindness of our soul.

Fr. Apostolos Hill shares a homily about the Apostles' Fast and the command to share the Gospel.

Fr. Apostolos Hill speaks about the importance of being transfigured in Jesus Christ.

Fr. Apostolos Hill deconstructed the soteriological heresy of the Penal Substitutionary Atonement of Anselm of Canterbury and an explanation of how the Orthodox Church understands and applies the Cross of Christ and its efficacy for our salvation.

The price to be paid for unceasing prayer.

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost

The Resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ

Fourth Sunday after Pentecost

Asking for mercy from God is at the heart of the Church's prayer. Fr Tom teaches us that that two seeminly opposing attitudes, humility and boldness, are necessary to continually approach the throne of God. (Thirty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost - The Canaanite Woman)

On the second Sunday before the beginning of the Great Fast the Church calls to our attention the Last Judgment. Fr Tom teaches us that our fate at the appearance of the Son of Man in His glory will be determined by our reaction to the brightness of His Love and Mercy. (Sunday of the Last Judgment)

On the day before the beginning of Great Lent, the Church teaches us that our journey of repentance begins with offering forgiveness. Fr Tom reminds us that forgiveness is the essential action to grow in the likeness of God, because it is what He freely offers to us. (Forty-first Sunday after Pentecost - Forgiveness Sunday)

On the third preparatory Sunday before Great Lent, the gospel of the Last Judgment is read. Fr Tom reminds us that though today we can choose to acknowledge or to ignore Christ as Lord, on that great and final day everyone will acknowledge Him and give an account of their life.

The Parable of Lazarus and the Rich man is a dramatic story about the end result of a selfish life. Fr Tom reminds us that our most fundamental call as Christians is, not only to love God, but also to love our neighbor. (Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost)

The cross of Christ is the ultimate sign of God's love for his creatures. Fr Thomas reminds us that the cross is also a sign of the path that awaits us: our own cross. (Sunday after the Exaltation of the Cross)

As cultural changes rapidly sweep across the Western world, the question of who we are as individuals becomes a persistent theme. Fr Thomas reminds us that one of the central doctrines of our faith, growing in the likeness of God, reveals who we truly are in Christ. (19th Sunday after Pentecost)

Sometimes Christians unfortunately feel burdened by the frequent call to worship. Fr Thomas reminds us that worship is not only one thing we do as Christians, it is the very purpose of our life: to constantly give thanks to God.

On Meatfare Sunday we commemorate the Last Judgment, when Christ returns to His creation to judge the world and redeem His people. Fr Thomas reminds us that our fasting is related to the Judgment. As we fast to prepare for Pascha, the Lord's resurrection is the first sign of our resurrection and the coming Judgment.