At risk of reproaching fellow Christians, I am continually surprised by how much secular content they consume. From Facebook to TikTok, from Hollywood movies to pop music, I suspect the…
Browsing Category Faith
Signs You Have Strong Faith
Wisdom From Mount Athos is a compilation of sayings from Saint Silouan, a Russian ascetic who lived in Mount Athos around the early 20th century. His disciple, Saint Sophrony of…
The Best Exegesis Of The Four Gospels
The Four Gospels is written by Archbishop Averky of Jordanville, who was a professor at the Holy Trinity Seminary before becoming abbot of the attached monastery. In this book, he…
The Salvation Of Your Soul Is Not A Game
The Art Of Salvation by Elder Ephraim of Arizona is a compilation of thirty-three homilies concerning spiritual life. It is a powerful and convicting book that will jolt you out…
It’s Not Easy To Escape From The Occult
The Gurus, the Young Man, and Elder Paisios is a spiritual memoir by Dionysios Farasiotis, chronicling the author’s flirtations with the occult and later conversion to the Orthodox Church through…
Signs That You Love God
The book that has convicted me more than any other is What God Has Done For Our Salvation by St. Nikodim of the Holy Mountain, more commonly known as St….
American Christian Warrior
There is a show called American Ninja Warrior that was imported from Japan. It features athletic contestants tackling formidable obstacle courses that test their strength and agility. Many of these…
The Saints Among Us
Everyday Saints is a book of anecdotes and stories that describe the life and teachings of Orthodox elders in Russia during the late communist era. The tales are both edifying…
Hugs Are Dangerous
[God] forbids adultery, and all irregular and unclean carnal lust, and likewise all that may tend to excite unlawful desires… —The Holy Standards It is extremely unsafe to hug a…
If God Exists, Why Do Bad Things Happen?
Atheists commonly ask why bad things happen if we were created by God. If God is all good, shouldn’t we exist in Paradise right now, never encountering suffering for even…
The Best Book For Orthodox Christian Converts
At the time I got baptized, Father Seraphim Rose: His Life and Works was recommended by the priest who baptized me. Written by Father Damascene, the current abbot of the…
The Dream Team Is Praying For You
So you’ve chosen to live in the eternal Kingdom of God and commune with Him for all eternity. Congratulations, you’ve made a wise decision. You’re ready to live a life…
Prayer Is The Highest Activity Of Man
Saint Sophrony is a modern saint (glorified in 2019) who was born in Russia, eventually moving to Mount Athos to become a monk. He was the spiritual child of ascetic…
A Foretaste Of My Deathbed
Last fall I came down with a flu-like illness while staying at a monastery. It lasted for two weeks. It turned out to be the worst acute illness I’ve ever…
Are You On The Path To Salvation?
The Path To Salvation, written by Russian Saint Theophan The Recluse, elaborates how grace, sin, and salvation work within a soul. Since the way I came to the Church is…
