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Ethan D Good
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Ethan D Good
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""The Principle or Accommodation" chapter caught me by surprise. It explains clearly how the Primitive Church was almost immediately structured around the regional structure of the Roman Empire, as major cities were major social hubs. Thus bishops in a "metropolis" were also given the titles "Metropolitan" as head of the city, and "Patriarch" as head of the diocese/province. Hence, elevating Constantinople later..." — Jul 30, 2026 05:59PM
""The Principle or Accommodation" chapter caught me by surprise. It explains clearly how the Primitive Church was almost immediately structured around the regional structure of the Roman Empire, as major cities were major social hubs. Thus bishops in a "metropolis" were also given the titles "Metropolitan" as head of the city, and "Patriarch" as head of the diocese/province. Hence, elevating Constantinople later..." — Jul 30, 2026 05:59PM
“Humility is a Divine property and the perfection of the Christian life. It is attained through obedience. He who is not obedient cannot attain humility. There are very few in the world today who have obedience. Our humility is in proportion to our obedience.”
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
“Why does the Lord command us to love our enemies and to pray for them? Not for their sake, but for ours! For as long as we bear grudges, as long as we dwell on how someone offended us, we will have no peace.”
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
“All things here on this earth,” said Fr. Thaddeus, “all that is good and also all that is not, everything comes from our thoughts. Our thoughts determine our whole life. If our thoughts are destructive, we will have no peace. If they are quiet, meek and simple, our life will be the same, and we will have peace within us. It will radiate from us and influence all beings around us—rational beings, animals, and even plants. Such is our ‘thought apparatus,’ which emits thoughts with which we influence all other beings. And everyone expects peace, consolation, love, and respect from us.”
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
“In this way, the “new religious consciousness” becomes an enemy of Christianity that is much more powerful and dangerous than any of the heresies of the past. When experience is emphasized above doctrine, the normal Christian safeguards which protect one against the attacks of fallen spirits are removed or neutralized, and the passiveness and “openness” which characterize the new cults literally open one up to be used by demons.”
― Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future
― Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future
“These are the thoughts of others which differ from yours. They have their plan, and their plan is to attack you with their thoughts. Instead of letting go, you have allowed yourself to become part of their plan, so of course you suffer. Had you ignored the attack, you would have kept your peace. They could have thought or said anything at all about you, yet you would have remained calm and at peace. Soon all their anger would have died down, like a deflated balloon, because of the pure and peaceful thoughts that would have come from you. If you are like that, calm and full of love, if all you think are good and kind thoughts, they will stop warring against you in their thoughts and will not threaten you anymore. But if you demand an eye for an eye, that is war. Where there is war there can be no peace. How can there be peace on a battlefield, when everyone is looking over their shoulders and anticipating a surprise attack from the enemy?”
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
― Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica
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