Questions for Christians

Awoon said:

Well I don't like that you said "Sunday Christians" without including yourself in the group.

Seems like yer all more divided then united in your thoughts and just go there to compare each other.

Do you need anyone to read and teach the Sunday newspaper to you?

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Diversity of thought and expression is a bad thing?!

sojourner said:

Yeah, well, seminary's three years, too. Been there, done that. But the spiritual formation is a lifelong journey.

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I beleive healing isn't learned in seminary since it is a gift of the spirit. If God wanted every disciple healing he would give that power to everyone.

Awoon said:

What was the sermon about at your church yesterday?
Have you heard it before?
How many times has that sermon been repeated?

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At the last service I attended (which was last week, on Wednesday, Christmas on the Julian calendar), at a Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia parish, there was beautiful singing by the choir, and the Archimandrites (senior hieromonk, or monastic priest; bishops are drawn from the ranks of archimandrites) said the liturgy with great elegance, but he did not preach a sermon.

Some Orthodox priests are fantastic preachers, some aren't, some preach a sermon with every liturgy, and some do not, especially in monasteries. The liturgy itself is so full of theological information as to render a lengthy sermon redundant, especially if you attend the vigil service the night be fore the feast (or on Saturdays) or in Greek churches, Matins on Sunday morning. Matins and Vespers, which are usually served together as part of an "all night vigil" usually abbreviated to two or three hours in the Russian Tradirion, contain the bulk of the thrological information about the feast. Holy Communion does have variable parts, but most of it stays the same, and focuses on driving home the core doctrines about creation, the Trinity, the incarnation, passion and resurrection of our Lord, and the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist. The same is true of the other sacramental services like baptism, marriage, holy unction (my favorite; it's given to everyone on Wednesday of Holy Week), et cetera. So most of the time you don't need a sermon. That said there are some fantastic Orthodox preachers who can uplift you as much as the late Dr. james Kennedy, who I much admired.

Muffled said:

I beleive healing isn't learned in seminary since it is a gift of the spirit. If God wanted every disciple healing he would give that power to everyone.

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Sure it's taught in seminary. It's part of ministry.

sojourner said:

Sure it's taught in seminary. It's part of ministry.

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I believe the teaching would be about healing. A gift can't be taught, it can only be received.

Muffled said:

I believe the teaching would be about healing. A gift can't be taught, it can only be received.

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Gifts can be brought out and developed. That's why artists go to art school, musicians go to conservatories, actors go to acting academies, writers go to universities, and clergy go to seminary -- to develop their gifts.