Dr. Ables’ review brings Rev. Dr. Mongeau’s Embracing Wisdom and Thomas Aquinas into direct conversation with modern Orthodox theology. 

Embracing Wisdom: The Summa theologiae as Spiritual Pedagogy
Gilles Mongeau
Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 2015

A few years ago in graduate school, I spent months tracking down the origins of a curious little echo chamber in 20th-century trinitarian theology. Starting with Karl Rahner and recurring through many luminaries—Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox—one encounters the same argument repeatedly. The argument was really a story, a story of decline and discovery, as theologian after theologian decried the shortcomings of Western trinitarian theology and found refuge and renewal in the trinitarian thought of Orthodoxy. I eventually traced this narrative to the writings of Vladimir Lossky and the exiled Russian Orthodox community in Paris, emanating from the St. Dionysius Institute and the Fellowship of Saint Alban and Saint Sergius. It made its way into an essay by Rahner, and the rest was history.

This particular narrative of trinitarian history is not directly relevant to Mongeau’s masterful work; what is significant, however, is how the reception of Parisian Orthodox thought in Germany and France seemed to trade on a deep suspicion of two canonical Catholic figures: Augustine and Aquinas. Indeed, as I dug further into 20th-century Orthodox thought, the allergy to Thomas seemed to be the common denominator among these Orthodox and their Western interpreters. And no wonder. With the promulgation of Aeterni Patris and the Neo-Thomist revival in Catholic seminaries, the fastidious manuals of the schools seemed the very antithesis of the apophatic, mystical, doxological theologies being developed by Lossky, Florovsky, and other Orthodox—and their Western readers. Read More

Metropolitan Tikhon (L) and Patriarch Kirill (R)

Here at Orthodoxy in Dialogue we’ve wondered since mid-December how the Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America (OCA) would respond to ecclesiastical developments in Ukraine, what was taking them so long to make up their minds, and finally if there was any significance to the fact that their “Archpastoral Letter on Ukraine” came out on January 28. 

Lo and behold, while preparing The OCA: Moscow’s Pawns in America & the American Region of “Russkii Mir” for publication a short while ago, we went to the OCA website to get the link for the aforementioned Archpastoral Letter. There we learned that, earlier today—just two days after doing the Kremlin’s bidding in writing—Metropolitan Tikhon and entourage landed in Moscow to pay obeisance in person to their liege lord.

Did the Patriarch threaten to rescind the Metropolitan’s invite to his self-congratulations party if the OCA Synod didn’t get off the pot and issue a Ukraine statement pronto? Did Moscow send Syosset an approved text for the latter’s Archpastoral Letter?

These questions don’t seem entirely beyond the pale of possibility. Read More

Orthodoxy in Dialogue has made an exceptional decision to publish this essay anonymously because the author fears retribution from various quarters. Suffice it to say that we know her identity and the school with which she is affiliated.

From the extensive Ukraine section in our Archives by Author, we single out  Ukrainian Autocephaly: An Awkward Spot for the OCA, Ukrainian Autocephaly: What Says the OCA?, and The Orthodox Church in America (OCA) Ignores Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine, Bows to the Will of Moscow, Rejects the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) as especially relevant to the following.

The Primate and Holy Synod of the Orthodox Church in America

The Orthodox Church in America’s Synod of Bishops has issued a letter of instruction and guidance on Ukraine for the clergy and faithful of the Church. Certainly, the clergy and laity who are attracted to the myth of “Holy Russia” rejoiced in the OCA’s decision to support the Moscow Patriarchate over the Phanar.

The letter idealizes the OCA’s autocephaly as one oriented toward mission and the correction of canonical irregularities in North America. Ukraine’ politicized autocephaly—forced upon the faithful by a mysterious alliance of the Phanar, President Poroshenko, and the US State Department—is a source of sorrow for the bishops. Yes, they regret Moscow’s decision to break communion with the Phanar, but nevertheless, they join Moscow by calling for Patriarch Bartholomew to convene some kind of pan-Orthodox gathering to resolve this issue in accordance with the canonical discipline of the Church. Read More

I am Catholic, and I am gay. I am not ‘deceived’; Satan does not ‘delight in my sexuality’; I do not need to be ‘converted’ to heterosexuality; I do not need to be ‘healed’. I am far from perfect, but this is not because of my sexual orientation.

Johnny Hultzapple

It is with a very enraged and dismal heart that I write this post today. 

This past Saturday, the Archdiocese of Denver sponsored an anti-LGBTQ event at the John Paul II Center led by an anti-LGBTQ activist and proponent of conversion therapy named Andrew Comiskey.

There was a highly false and insulting banner hung on the fence of the John Paul II Center. It is important to note that a representative from the Archdiocese said that the Archdiocese themselves did not hang the banner although they sponsored this event. The banner is a quote from the leader of the event, Andrew Comiskey, and reads, “There is no such thing as a ‘gay’ person…. That is a popular myth.” “Satan delights in homosexual perversion.”

As a young, gay male, I was infuriated when I read this sign and an article [in the Colorado Times Recorder about the event]. Not only is the sign overtly offensive, it is so, so, so very wrong.

I AM a gay person. I AM a homosexual; and there is absolutely nothing perverted about me. In Genesis 1:26, God says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Based on Christian belief, humans are made in the likeness of God. I believe this includes STRAIGHT, GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER, or QUEER individuals. LGBTQ people are made in the image and likeness of God.  Read More