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Glory to Jesus Christ!

Rev. John Behr, the new dean of St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary is interviewed in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. His positive attitude reflects retaining traditional aspects of the Church along with changes in modern society.

His comments on evangelism and increasing numbers of seminarians are important for the future of all Eastern Christians.

http://blog.cleveland.com/lifestyles/2008/05/seminary_dean_sees_future_for.html

Deacon El

Rev. John Behr commentary on Church-State separation has me wondering. Like many interviews I have read, I wonder if the reporter put words into Father John's mouth.

I do not view separation of Church and State to be a good thing in that it can be taken so far as to prevent any religious expression as is happening in our schools in the USA particularly in California where Christmas and Easter cannot be celebrated as a religious holy day but only as a secularized and sanitized Santa Claus and Easter Bunny parade.

I wouldn't call that last answer a "commentary." It would be mighty wrong to judge a man's position on anything from a news article. It seems like you deduced a lot from the little that was said.
Church and state separation is a much more in depth topic and I wouldn't think you could compare the country referenced in the article (Russia) with the secular politics (and yes, our government is SUPPOSED to be completely secular) of California.

Elizabeth,

There is a wide difference between the religious freedom our (USA) founding fathers wanted us to have and the state-sponsored atheism now being imposed on us.

It really is atheism, even though they never call it that anymore. Atheists used to be quite up front about their beliefs, but now they've realized that if they have to deny God, there must be something there for them to worry about denying. So what they do is embrace "secularism," along with a creed that holds all religions to be equally absurd--except that Christianity is "more equal" than the others in terms of being absurd.

Then again, "The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1Cor 1:18) Thus, we souldn't be so surprised that they think this way.


Peace,
Deacon Richard

Please read what I said more carefully.

I asked if the reporter has put words into the priest's mouth. That does happen quite often. I have talked with priests who have asked reporters to give them a copy before publication so that scenario will not happen.

Father Deacon,

I could not have said it better. The religion of the American culture (anti-culture) is truely Atheism.

CDL

Exactly. In some ways, I feel that atheistic socialism has conquered America and that now Russia has more religious freedoms than we have in the United States.