Good lecture on Hume and miracles

I went to a lecture yesterday given by Dr. Tim McGrew, head of the department of philosophy at Western Michigan University, on David Hume's argument against miracles. It was very well done! Dr. McGrew put Hume's writing in its context, demonstrated some weaknesses in Hume's argument, and showed that vigorous responses were given to Hume almost at once.

Forty Days

Today marks the 40th day since my father fell asleep in Christ. We will do the 40 days' memorial this Sunday. (This photo was taken exactly a year to the day before he reposed.)

With the spirits of the righteous made perfect in faith,
Give rest, O Lord, to the souls of Your servants
And preserve them in that life of blessedness
That is lived with thee, O Friend of man.
In the place of Your rest, O Lord, Where all Your saints repose,
Give rest also to the souls of Your servants
For You alone are immortal.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit…

You are our God who descended into Hell
To loose the pains of the dead who were held there
Give rest also to the souls of Your servants, O Savior.

Now and ever and unto ages of ages, Amen

O Virgin alone pure and immaculate
Who in maiden-motherhood brought forth God
Intercede for the salvation of the souls of Your servants.

May his memory be eternal!

Why should we care?

Is it a perverse kind of Schadenfreude, this tendency I have to surf Lutheran blogs to see what's going on over there? One guy who calls himself "David" asked my son, "Why should you care about Lutherans?"

Here are some reasons:
1. Because a lot of my life was spent within Lutheranism, and I found so much that was good there: the focus on Christ, the importance of the sacraments and the liturgy etc.
2. Because most of my family remain in Lutheranism.
3. Because many other people I love remain there, too: former parishioners, classmates, professors etc.
4. Because I know that the inevitable end toward which they're veering is either isolationist fundamentalism, or relativism (or both, I suppose)--either of which makes faith difficult or impossible.

One correction to David: we Orthodox *can* say whether Lutheranism is church or not. It's not. What we can't say, is whether any individual Lutheran is saved or not. We can't say that, because it's not ours to judge any individual. It belongs to God to judge. And it belongs to him to convert as well.

A word from St. Innocent

Nothing in this world but God can fill our heart or fully satisfy our desires. A fire cannot be put out with brushwood and oil, because only water will put it out. In exactly the same way, the desires of the human heart cannot be satisfied with the goods of this world, because only the Grace of God can quench the thirst of our desires.

St. Innocent of Alaska
1797-1879

From St. Basil, letter 5: Consolation on the loss of a loved one

St. Basil sets the context:

"The heir of an illustrious house, the bulwark of his race, the hope of his fatherland, the offspring of pious parents, a lad nurtured amid countless prayers, in the very flower of youth--he is gone, torn from the very arms of his parents..."


Then he applies the remedy:

"We have not been bereft of the boy, but we have given him back to the lender; nor has his life been destroyed, but merely transformed for the better; earth has not covered our beloved one, but heaven has received him. Let us abide a brief space, and we shall be with him whose loss we mourn. Nor will the period of separation be great, since in this life, as on a journey, we are all hastening to the same inn; and although one has already taken up his lodging there, and another has just arrived, and another is hastening thither, yet the same goal will receive us all. For even though your son has finished his journey first, nevertheless we shall all travel the same path, and the same hospice awaits us all. Only may God grant that we through virtue may become like to him in purity, that by the blamelessness of our character we may obtain the same repose as the children of Christ."

I'm a grandpa!

My son Chip called this morning (@3:15 am) to tell us that he and Amy are the proud parents of a baby girl--Sophia Irene. She weighs 7 lbs 12 oz, and is 20" long.

God grant her many years!

St. Basil the Great on hesychia

We must try to keep the mind in tranquillity (εν ησυχια). For just as the eye which constantly shifts its gaze, now turning to the right or to the left, now incessantly peering up and down, cannot see distinctly what lies before it, but the sight must be fixed firmly on the object in view if one would make hsi vision of it clear, so too man's mind when distracted by his countless worldly cares cannot focus itself distinctly on the truth.
from Letter 2