telosbound

Evil has no ontology; it is anti-ontology, the parasitic shadow of being that feeds on what it cannot create. It exists only as negation, a tear in the fabric of being. While being is communion, evil is disunion; reality is gift, evil is refusal. It is not a counter-substance but a vacuum of meaning, a will curved back upon itself until it generates its own absence. To borrow a Hegelian/Zizekian phrase, it is “self-relating negativity,” symbolized by the Serpent that eats its own body, negating itself precisely through relating only to itself. Evil is the “stain” of nothingness upon the order of being which, despite being nothing, is nonetheless a stain. St. Pavel Florensky identifies the core of sin as the meaningless tautology of “I=I,” the absurd assertion of selfhood over and against the other for no reason other than that very self’s desire to assert itself (“I!”). Evil is radically subjective, existing, ultimately, only in the hearts of individual people, as “states” of the heart.

Full post: open.substack.com/pub/telosbound/p/we-are-all-the-…

5 hours ago | [YT] | 110

telosbound

The hymn “Receive the Body of Christ” stands as one of the most profound expressions of beauty in the Orthodox liturgy. It reveals the true nature of beauty as a lived, divine reality. Unlike art that simply pleases the senses, this hymn portrays the beautiful in its metaphysical depths: a free invitation to share in the very life of God. Its language and melody together testify that an encounter with the beautiful is not coerced but freely offered, not merely admired from without but participated in. The hymn thus embodies the mystery at the heart of the Christian faith: that in Christ, God became man so that man might become God. In this mutual exchange or dialogical reciprocity, beauty is revealed as the glorious surpassing of nature by grace.

Full post (for paid subscribers): telosbound.substack.com/p/taste-the-fountain-of-im…

1 day ago | [YT] | 236

telosbound

Reflection on both theology and beauty leads to paradoxes, a disjointedness that the human mind is naturally troubled by. Paradox demands our attention because it has an ugly face that evokes immediate discomfort and confusion (Christ crucified). The beauty of Paschal reconciliation involves the reversal from pain to relief, death to life. Death alone is not beautiful, but death for the sake of life is. Beauty is found not in static identities assimilable by rational thought, but in the miraculous surpassing of the divisions so often posited by it. The resurrection is both beautiful and rational, but in that order. The rationality of the resurrection is disclosed in the beauty of the event itself, that it took place at all—a wondrous, beautiful, truth. To do true theology is to manifest this beauty.

Full post: telosbound.substack.com/p/the-beauty-of-theology

4 days ago | [YT] | 325

telosbound

Answering Protestantism from the Bible 17 Hour Lecture Set: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Lectures available for download and viewing immediately upon purchase. Click "take this course" on right side of screen to purchase, or purchase the bundle at the link in the center of the screen below that. You do not need to be a student of the college to purchase and access!

The most common Protestant critique of Orthodox (and Roman Catholic) Christianity is that it is “unbiblical.” My class “Answering Protestantism from the Bible” is an essential resource for anyone interested in Orthodox Christianity and its relationship with the Reformation traditions.

The class consists of seventeen hours (divided into 15 parts) of concise and meticulously researched lectures covering the main Protestant critiques of traditional Christian beliefs and practices (e.g. the veneration of saints, justification by theosis, apostolic succession, and much more). Not only does it critique Protestant theology, but it also provides a constructive case for Orthodox Christianity.

You can purchase the class here: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Or with "Answering Calvinism from the Bible" (23 hours total) here: stacollege.org/product/answering-protestantism-and…

Sample lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQOr...

The uniqueness of this class is that it does not look beyond the Bible (to “tradition” or anything else) but shows how the Biblical text itself is consistent with traditional Christian theology, sacramentology, and ecclesiology. Its primary goal is not to be polemical, but to provide a constructive and developed case for traditional Christian doctrines and practices.

This class will be especially useful for any questioning Protestants searching for a critical examination of Protestantism that properly respects the Biblical text as the inspired word of God. It will also be helpful for any Orthodox or Catholic Christian apologists who want to become more educated on the Biblical foundations of their faith.

Syllabus

Topic list for Protestantism course:

1. Why Answer Protestantism from the Bible?
2. What is the Heart of Biblical Theology?
3. The Scriptural Theology of Christ’s Atonement
4. Justification by Faith in Scripture
5. Justification in Scripture – Tackling the Texts
6. The Liturgical Theology of Scripture
7. Sacrament in Scripture
8. The Eucharist and the Visible Church
9. Does the Church Have an Ordained Priesthood in Scripture?
10. The Bible and the Communion of Saints
11. The Veneration and Intercession of Saints
12. The New Eve – The Virgin Mary in the New Testament
13. Iconography and Idolatry
14. The Authority of Tradition

1 month ago | [YT] | 309

telosbound

Answering Protestantism from the Bible 17 Hour Lecture Set: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Lectures available for download and viewing immediately upon purchase. Click "take this course" on right side of screen to purchase, or purchase the bundle at the link in the center of the screen below that. You do not need to be a student of the college to purchase and access!

The most common Protestant critique of Orthodox (and Roman Catholic) Christianity is that it is “unbiblical.” My class “Answering Protestantism from the Bible” is an essential resource for anyone interested in Orthodox Christianity and its relationship with the Reformation traditions.

The class consists of seventeen hours (divided into 15 parts) of concise and meticulously researched lectures covering the main Protestant critiques of traditional Christian beliefs and practices (e.g. the veneration of saints, justification by theosis, apostolic succession, and much more). Not only does it critique Protestant theology, but it also provides a constructive case for Orthodox Christianity.

You can purchase the class here: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Or with "Answering Calvinism from the Bible" (23 hours total) here: stacollege.org/product/answering-protestantism-and…

Sample lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQOr...

The uniqueness of this class is that it does not look beyond the Bible (to “tradition” or anything else) but shows how the Biblical text itself is consistent with traditional Christian theology, sacramentology, and ecclesiology. Its primary goal is not to be polemical, but to provide a constructive and developed case for traditional Christian doctrines and practices.

This class will be especially useful for any questioning Protestants searching for a critical examination of Protestantism that properly respects the Biblical text as the inspired word of God. It will also be helpful for any Orthodox or Catholic Christian apologists who want to become more educated on the Biblical foundations of their faith.

Syllabus

Topic list for Protestantism course:

1. Why Answer Protestantism from the Bible?
2. What is the Heart of Biblical Theology?
3. The Scriptural Theology of Christ’s Atonement
4. Justification by Faith in Scripture
5. Justification in Scripture – Tackling the Texts
6. The Liturgical Theology of Scripture
7. Sacrament in Scripture
8. The Eucharist and the Visible Church
9. Does the Church Have an Ordained Priesthood in Scripture?
10. The Bible and the Communion of Saints
11. The Veneration and Intercession of Saints
12. The New Eve – The Virgin Mary in the New Testament
13. Iconography and Idolatry
14. The Authority of Tradition

2 months ago | [YT] | 371

telosbound

Please subscribe to(and consider supporting on Buy me a Coffee!) Father Lawrence Farley:

https://youtu.be/NPXKDnAJBDE?feature=...

2 months ago | [YT] | 26

telosbound

The Coming of Elijah

seraphimhamilton.substack.com/p/the-crisis-of-the-…

www.patreon.com/posts/134211195?pr=true

Answering Protestantism from the Bible 17 Hour Lecture Set: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/ (Recordings Available for Viewing and Download Immediately Upon Purchase, you do not need to be a student at St. Athanasius to Access)

Please consider becoming a paid member or patron to support my ongoing work. Patronage or membership on YouTube includes an extensive and growing library of exclusive content of up to 8 hours and 50 pages per month.

Preview:

With the coming of Elijah, the center of gravity in Israel moves from the royal court to the voice of the prophet. 1 Kings 17 and following focuses on the transformation of Israelite society that begins with the polity of the prophets Elijah and Elisha. We meet Elijah in 1 Kings 17 as he calls down a famine on Israel. In many ways, this is an eschatological judgment that is filled with references back to the judgment of the flood, and this sets in motion a series of events which culminates in the Assyrian conquest. Isaiah 8 describes the Assyrian conquest as rising like an overflowing flood, and the prophets of the north seem to have an interesting link with the story of the flood. For example, Elijah is sent into the wilderness where he is fed by ravens. Jonah, similarly a prophet of the northern kingdom, is sent away into the land of the gentiles. Jonah’s name means “dove” and the Book of Jonah has a number of references back to the story of the flood.

You can get access to all exclusive written content by becoming a paid subscriber on Substack or a patron (at any tier) on my Patreon:

Become a patron: www.patreon.com/kabane

Substack: seraphimhamilton.substack.com/

Exclusive content by tier (each tier includes all content from lower tiers)

Tier 1: DAILY Scripture reflections ranging from 2-5 pages per day, five days a week.

Tier 2: Weekly half hour video, featuring a topic relating to Biblical studies, church history, apologetics, and related subjects.

Tier 3: An exclusive course (ultimately over twenty hours long) on the Old Testament, with new installments of over an hour each uploaded weekly.

Tier 4: A monthly 1 on 1 call or voice chat where we can discuss any topic of your choosing.

Get my book: www.amazon.com/Christ-All-Things-Scripture-Theolog…

Answering Protestantism from the Bible in 17 Hour Lecture Set:

stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Recordings available to view and download immediately upon purchase.

Sample lecture: https://youtu.be/spQOreW8EDk

Bundle with "Answering Calvinism from the Bible" for a discount (23 hours total):

stacollege.org/product/answering-protestantism-and…

To *just* get "Answering Calvinism from the Bible"

stacollege.org/courses/answering-calvinism-from-th…

Topic list for Protestantism course:

1. Why Answer Protestantism from the Bible?
2. What is the Heart of Biblical Theology?
3. The Scriptural Theology of Christ’s Atonement
4. Justification by Faith in Scripture
5. Justification in Scripture – Tackling the Texts
6. The Liturgical Theology of Scripture
7. Sacrament in Scripture
8. The Eucharist and the Visible Church
9. Does the Church Have an Ordained Priesthood in Scripture?
10. The Bible and the Communion of Saints
11. The Veneration and Intercession of Saints
12. The New Eve – The Virgin Mary in the New Testament
13. Iconography and Idolatry
14. The Authority of Tradition

2 months ago | [YT] | 309

telosbound

Answering Protestantism from the Bible 17 Hour Lecture Set: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Lectures available for download and viewing immediately upon purchase. Click "take this course" on right side of screen to purchase, or purchase the bundle at the link in the center of the screen below that. You do not need to be a student of the college to purchase and access!

The most common Protestant critique of Orthodox (and Roman Catholic) Christianity is that it is “unbiblical.” My class “Answering Protestantism from the Bible” is an essential resource for anyone interested in Orthodox Christianity and its relationship with the Reformation traditions.

The class consists of seventeen hours (divided into 15 parts) of concise and meticulously researched lectures covering the main Protestant critiques of traditional Christian beliefs and practices (e.g. the veneration of saints, justification by theosis, apostolic succession, and much more). Not only does it critique Protestant theology, but it also provides a constructive case for Orthodox Christianity.

You can purchase the class here: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Or with "Answering Calvinism from the Bible" (23 hours total) here: stacollege.org/product/answering-protestantism-and…

Sample lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQOr...

The uniqueness of this class is that it does not look beyond the Bible (to “tradition” or anything else) but shows how the Biblical text itself is consistent with traditional Christian theology, sacramentology, and ecclesiology. Its primary goal is not to be polemical, but to provide a constructive and developed case for traditional Christian doctrines and practices.

This class will be especially useful for any questioning Protestants searching for a critical examination of Protestantism that properly respects the Biblical text as the inspired word of God. It will also be helpful for any Orthodox or Catholic Christian apologists who want to become more educated on the Biblical foundations of their faith.

Syllabus

Topic list for Protestantism course:

1. Why Answer Protestantism from the Bible?
2. What is the Heart of Biblical Theology?
3. The Scriptural Theology of Christ’s Atonement
4. Justification by Faith in Scripture
5. Justification in Scripture – Tackling the Texts
6. The Liturgical Theology of Scripture
7. Sacrament in Scripture
8. The Eucharist and the Visible Church
9. Does the Church Have an Ordained Priesthood in Scripture?
10. The Bible and the Communion of Saints
11. The Veneration and Intercession of Saints
12. The New Eve – The Virgin Mary in the New Testament
13. Iconography and Idolatry
14. The Authority of Tradition

3 months ago | [YT] | 335

telosbound

Our good friend Johnathan (known as “The Cud Chewer”) has released his first book “Chewing the Cud”. If you’re into Trinitarian/communal metaphysics, this is a must read!

“What does it mean to inhabit the world as one called to offer it back to God?
This book explores that question—and others closely bound to it—through careful, recursive reflection, weaving together Scripture, patristic insight, and devotional theology to illuminate man’s vocation as the prophetic priest-king of creation: formed in the image of God, destined for perfect communion, and entrusted with the transformation of the world through love.

Chewing the Cud: A Devotional Rumination on God, Man, and World is a reverent meditation on the divine wisdom at the heart of all things. Drawing biblical, theological, and philosophical threads into a unified Trinitarian vision of the cosmos, it invites readers to find themselves within the symbolic and sacramental terrain of Christ’s Mystery—hidden in God from the beginning and now revealed in ever-deepening fullness unto ages of ages.”

amzn.to/4lkSMUs

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3 months ago | [YT] | 515

telosbound

Answering Protestantism from the Bible 17 Hour Lecture Set: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Lectures available for download and viewing immediately upon purchase. Click "take this course" on right side of screen to purchase, or purchase the bundle at the link in the center of the screen below that. You do not need to be a student of the college to purchase and access!

The most common Protestant critique of Orthodox (and Roman Catholic) Christianity is that it is “unbiblical.” My class “Answering Protestantism from the Bible” is an essential resource for anyone interested in Orthodox Christianity and its relationship with the Reformation traditions.

The class consists of seventeen hours (divided into 15 parts) of concise and meticulously researched lectures covering the main Protestant critiques of traditional Christian beliefs and practices (e.g. the veneration of saints, justification by theosis, apostolic succession, and much more). Not only does it critique Protestant theology, but it also provides a constructive case for Orthodox Christianity.

You can purchase the class here: stacollege.org/courses/answering-protestantism/

Or with "Answering Calvinism from the Bible" (23 hours total) here: stacollege.org/product/answering-protestantism-and…

Sample lecture here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spQOr...

The uniqueness of this class is that it does not look beyond the Bible (to “tradition” or anything else) but shows how the Biblical text itself is consistent with traditional Christian theology, sacramentology, and ecclesiology. Its primary goal is not to be polemical, but to provide a constructive and developed case for traditional Christian doctrines and practices.

This class will be especially useful for any questioning Protestants searching for a critical examination of Protestantism that properly respects the Biblical text as the inspired word of God. It will also be helpful for any Orthodox or Catholic Christian apologists who want to become more educated on the Biblical foundations of their faith.

Syllabus

Topic list for Protestantism course:

1. Why Answer Protestantism from the Bible?
2. What is the Heart of Biblical Theology?
3. The Scriptural Theology of Christ’s Atonement
4. Justification by Faith in Scripture
5. Justification in Scripture – Tackling the Texts
6. The Liturgical Theology of Scripture
7. Sacrament in Scripture
8. The Eucharist and the Visible Church
9. Does the Church Have an Ordained Priesthood in Scripture?
10. The Bible and the Communion of Saints
11. The Veneration and Intercession of Saints
12. The New Eve – The Virgin Mary in the New Testament
13. Iconography and Idolatry
14. The Authority of Tradition

3 months ago | [YT] | 413