What doth it profit, my brethren,
though a man say he hath faith, and have not works?
Can faith save him?
orthopraxy or orthopraxis
- an emphasis on correct practice (just as orthodoxy is an emphasis on correct belief)
- derived from Greek (ὀρθοπραξις) meaning “correct practice”. Refers to Orthodox religious practices and may include both liturgical practices as well as interpersonal acts. Orthopraxis (or Orthopraxy) is a function of and contributor to the Orthodox phronema (Orthodox Mind) and has, as its aim, theosis (union with God).
This site began as and remains primarily a journal of personal confession. It’s not going to be something one can easily sum up, categorize, or explain. Orthodoxy is like that. Each person is so unique, that he is like an entire universe, and his salvation is just as unique. Here there are also tools of orthopraxis that I have found useful. I make no disclaimers, because even to disclaim something is to make it a matter primarily of someone else’s interest.
In 2005, I was blessed as catechist to a pair of catechumens who lived at a distance from me. We met weekly in diners, but we needed a way to exchange documents, information, and study materials between lessons and, for convenience, I began hanging the items on this site. Over time, more people wanted to study with us, both Orthodox and non-Orthodox. While I made it clear that everything I contributed consisted either of the works of others that are accepted universally in Holy Orthodoxy or of merely my own opinion, I wanted to make sure everything was done openly and any such things were publicly available and accessible to the proper oversight. In 2006, the catechetical instruction ended, and so the site returned then to its original purpose and use as a journal (or “blog” as the current parlance would have it).
you say you “were blessed as a catechist” which to a reader sounds like you had some qualifications, and background to do so. I noticed that you prefer to be anonymous as well as not revealing much about your background. Respectfully, I would like to express that you may want to reconsider and provide some information about you. In general, one needs to know something about an author.
I also read you pray in a so called new calendar church which naturally, provides a hint about your background. Not surprisingly, you seem to have respect about the old calendar but not enough information or exposure to realize the necessary return (not just a wish). No need to start a correspondence now on this topic.
I wish you the best, and hopefully, this blog will not become a distraction to you from the Truth.
I’ve considered the anonymity thing in great deal over a long time. While I appreciate the input, I have my reasons, to which I’m committed, and I never felt I really “knew” an author anyway, nor was ever inhibited by their use of noms de plume or simply signing a piece anonymous. Call me Mark Twain, Lewis Carroll, Publius, or just Anon; to me, it’s arbitrary, and religion doesn’t change that.