Please do keep writing on this substack. I for one was saddened when you closed your old one, because you do write so well and because your authentic love of Christ is needed in this world. God bless you Theophan Davis as you keep upon the journey you have started.
Theophan (and I hope you don't mind that I will probably always reference you as MWD) hopefully you have seen the nice write-up Rod Dreher made concerning this post on his Substack this morning. I wrote a modified version on this musing in his comments section, but I wanted to make sure that you saw it as well. I'm Orthodox, but I have been reading you for about the last two years or so and remember having a conversation with my priest (also a reader) a number of months prior to your public announcement of your conversion to Orthodoxy where we both had come to the conclusion that you were on that path. Both I and this priest are converts ourselves, and you were exhibiting what to our eyes were the classic signs of someone on the road to the east.
I for one hope that you keep writing; you have a unique and powerful voice which has long extended beyond the Trad Catholic world. There is much to be said for writers who, while they have their feet firmly planted in a particular tradition, tend to write to those beyond their specific Christian Community. There seems to me to be a great mystery in the way that Church history has unfolded. I recall Jonathan Pageau making an offhand remark not too long ago that effectively indicated (insofar as I can remember it) that, for reasons that are unclear to him and might be unclear to all but God, the fracturing of Christianity that has occurred in the wake of the Great Schism, the Reformation, and Modernity are all part of the pattern of the salvific story of Christ's activity in the world. This is not to say that all churches are of equal validity (they aren't), that it doesn't matter what group of believers you commune with or what doctrines you confirm (it does), or that it is not a scandal that there is not a united and undisputed body of believers in the world proclaiming the Work of the Spirit in a unified voice (it is). The Spirit of Antichrist has been at work in the world since the Apostolic age and has done its work all too well. It is to say that what has happened was known to God and will ultimately serve His glory, in the final analysis.
I find myself wondering if, as much as the history of the last millennia or so has been one of fracture, differentiation, and disintegration in the work of a unified Church of those who profess Christ, the trials of this present moment presage a honing and reintegration of what was lost--sadly, likely also presaging a great winnowing and falling away of many...at least for a time. The examples of evangelical bodies of believers led by men such as Fr. Peter Gilquist or Fr. Gordon Walker who came into the historical Antiochian Orthodox Church as corporate entities speaks to a spirit of unification and reconciliation unprecedented in the largely Protestant West.
Maybe not, maybe it's just a fad ready to burn itself out as quickly as all the other fads that have wracked the Western Churches over the course of the last century, leaving all of us confused, bitter, and cynical. One thing is assured, the West is spiritually and culturally exhausted, and unless it learns how to graft itself onto something stronger, it will wither and die.
In any event, please find a way to keep writing. You and your family will be in my prayers.
Thank you for your wise comment, Publius. It reminds me of what Christ says when the Apostles ask Him why the beggar was born blind. Who sinned: the man or his parents? The Lord says neither. The beggar was born blind so that God's glory may be revealed in him.
No one alive today is responsible for the schism, and no one can heal it. Only Christ can do that. And whatever form that healing takes, God's glory will be revealed in us poor beggars.
Please keep writing. I am a Roman Catholic who also believes Holy Orthodoxy is right. I am old and physically ill so conversion may not be an option. But I am empowered by you.
Thank you, brother, for your support. If you'd like, please reach out to me at yankeeathonite[at]pm[dot]me. I'm sure there's an Orthodox priest in your area who would be happy to visit you, if that's what you desire.
We'll remember you by name in our prayers this evening.
I'll admit I was a bit disappointed when I heard that you decided to join the Orthodox Church, though I was not surprised at all that you did. See, I could point to you and say, this guy is "my kind of Catholic". Which tells me, many things, I'll have to dwell on that. I may be a crypto-Orthodox myself... Still, I have my own reasons for staying faithful to the Catholic "side", in which I won't go into here (don't worry). The fact anyway, is that I agree on most points you bring to the table, or at least, I find in them a useful counterpoint to my thinking. But more important that *thinking*, I see that your heart in the right place, that is "ad orientem", not in a geographical, worldly meaning, but towards the Light that is Christ. One can't help but to be drawn to souls that love Christ. So count me among your readers should you decide to continue publishing here. God bless you!
Thank you so very much for your writing. I had made up my mind to become Orthodox, and this post solidified my choice and gave me great comfort. God Bless you Brother 🙏☦️
Ah—glory to God! You'll be in my prayers. Please feel free to reach out anytime if the path gets difficult: yankeeathonite[at]pm[dot]me. God bless you, sister!
Please do continue to write as you explore the depths of orthodoxy. I was chrismated in October 2023. I am 76 and eager for fellowship with intelligent, curious, heartbroken souls enroute to the fullness of being indwelt by God and dwelling in God.
Dear Theophan, as you make your way around the Orthodox scene in the Bay Area, you could get over to Sacramento to Saint Athanasius Antiochian Orthodox Church there, where I have some friends, Eric and Kami Grant and Steve and Donna Greenhut.if you do get there, please tell them hello and Christ is among us, for me.
My wife and I started attending a local Orthodox church several months ago and your writing was a big part of what introduced me to the Faith. Like you mentioned, the congregation where we attend is probably 80-90 percent converts and it's been a life-changing experience for us. We both came from a non-denominational Protestant background and had been concerned that service was starting to feel more like a hurried entertainment act versus a worship of Christ. I probably would've never even known about Orthodoxy without your initial writings on the subject. I completely understand if your path is taking away from regular writing, but (selfishly), I'd love to hear more about your journey; especially as someone very new to Orthodoxy. God bless!
Brother, this made my whole month. I'm so glad—and so humbled—that my writing played some role in your introduction to Orthodoxy. To God be the glory! And welcome to the Orthodox Church. As I'm sure you've noticed, it's a lot bigger on the inside.
This is quite interesting. I find it interesting primarily because I personally do not, and never have, understood people's apparent need for complexity when it comes to having a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus the Christ. From my perspective all denominations, aka human designed organizations, are little different from the organizations of Scribes, Pharisees and Chief Priest of 2,000 years ago.
I realize Mark 9:38-41 informs me not everyone will serve Him the way I do so I can only judge other people's actions as it relates to my personal relation with Him. However I suspect the thief on the cross is glad he didn't have to consider such complexities before he was able to be in Paradise with Jesus that same day. Luke 23:40-43
Thank you for your comment! I'd highly recommend Fr. Stephen De Young's "The Religion of the Apostles" and Fr. Josiah Trenham's "Rock and Sand." Both make strong arguments that, from the time of the Apostles, the Church was understood to be episcopal—that is, led by bishops. Maintaining communion with these bishops was of vital importance.
But you're right about St. Dismas, the Good Thief. We're not saved by our opinions. We're saved by the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for this essay. As a convert of now 24 years (though first read Schmemann in the mid 80s) you are quite right that each person's path diverges from others. I came from those Presbys who were purusing a more liturgical form, and probably would have remained with them had I not had Prof. Aristeides Papadakis as my MA advisor. He was the first of the shocks to my system.
I didn't become Orthodox in some anti-Roman way, but because I saw the fathers in it. My initial PhD work was as a medievalist, and the last year jumped to Ren-Ref, basically looking at the inheritance of the fathers in the 15th and 16th centuries, and how Protism essentially (though not always materially) betrayed all of this.
Just a note: Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick is a friend, and came out of a pretty vanilla but very conservative form of evangelicalism. Semper, Cyril
I don't know how many devout Muslim subscribers you have, but I am certainly one and I have missed your newsletter. You are a talented writer and effective communicator. Be it why reactionaries have it right, church history, family vacations or whatever, it's always fun and informative.
I do hope that you keep writing. Even if it is just about church history, it is a wonderful touchstone to refer to and to wake up to to enjoy over coffee.
I understand your professional career as a Catholic writer has been hurt but I hope that your personal finances are stable. It is a big deal to risk this world for the world of the next. Good for you for having integrity. Would everyone of faith be so brave.
It was great to see you in my inbox again this morning, Michael. Thanks for sharing this with us. I hope you'll stick around and continue to write, at least occasionally.
Thank you, Thomas! It's good to hear from you. Now the floodgates are open, I probably won't be able to resist writing more. But I'm glad to hear there are still some folks willing to hear me out.
There are some which are public, such as the apparition of Zeitoun. But the Orthodox tradition holds that if one receives a vision of Christ, the Theotokos, etc., it's best kept to oneself.
Michael- I hope your admission to the Orthodox Church brings you closer to God. I was pleased to see an update from you. I do hope you continue to write as you are quite talented and many readers benefit from your postings. I have read your first book twice and used the suggested readings. I have your second book which I am scheduled to read soon.
Having reached the same conclusion myself and made the same transition, I understand very well the difficulties of countering others' misconceptions regarding one's motivations. The best one can do is take it on the chin and stay true to one's convictions.
Please do keep writing on this substack. I for one was saddened when you closed your old one, because you do write so well and because your authentic love of Christ is needed in this world. God bless you Theophan Davis as you keep upon the journey you have started.
Thank you for saying so, my friend. God bless you!
Theophan (and I hope you don't mind that I will probably always reference you as MWD) hopefully you have seen the nice write-up Rod Dreher made concerning this post on his Substack this morning. I wrote a modified version on this musing in his comments section, but I wanted to make sure that you saw it as well. I'm Orthodox, but I have been reading you for about the last two years or so and remember having a conversation with my priest (also a reader) a number of months prior to your public announcement of your conversion to Orthodoxy where we both had come to the conclusion that you were on that path. Both I and this priest are converts ourselves, and you were exhibiting what to our eyes were the classic signs of someone on the road to the east.
I for one hope that you keep writing; you have a unique and powerful voice which has long extended beyond the Trad Catholic world. There is much to be said for writers who, while they have their feet firmly planted in a particular tradition, tend to write to those beyond their specific Christian Community. There seems to me to be a great mystery in the way that Church history has unfolded. I recall Jonathan Pageau making an offhand remark not too long ago that effectively indicated (insofar as I can remember it) that, for reasons that are unclear to him and might be unclear to all but God, the fracturing of Christianity that has occurred in the wake of the Great Schism, the Reformation, and Modernity are all part of the pattern of the salvific story of Christ's activity in the world. This is not to say that all churches are of equal validity (they aren't), that it doesn't matter what group of believers you commune with or what doctrines you confirm (it does), or that it is not a scandal that there is not a united and undisputed body of believers in the world proclaiming the Work of the Spirit in a unified voice (it is). The Spirit of Antichrist has been at work in the world since the Apostolic age and has done its work all too well. It is to say that what has happened was known to God and will ultimately serve His glory, in the final analysis.
I find myself wondering if, as much as the history of the last millennia or so has been one of fracture, differentiation, and disintegration in the work of a unified Church of those who profess Christ, the trials of this present moment presage a honing and reintegration of what was lost--sadly, likely also presaging a great winnowing and falling away of many...at least for a time. The examples of evangelical bodies of believers led by men such as Fr. Peter Gilquist or Fr. Gordon Walker who came into the historical Antiochian Orthodox Church as corporate entities speaks to a spirit of unification and reconciliation unprecedented in the largely Protestant West.
Maybe not, maybe it's just a fad ready to burn itself out as quickly as all the other fads that have wracked the Western Churches over the course of the last century, leaving all of us confused, bitter, and cynical. One thing is assured, the West is spiritually and culturally exhausted, and unless it learns how to graft itself onto something stronger, it will wither and die.
In any event, please find a way to keep writing. You and your family will be in my prayers.
Thank you for your wise comment, Publius. It reminds me of what Christ says when the Apostles ask Him why the beggar was born blind. Who sinned: the man or his parents? The Lord says neither. The beggar was born blind so that God's glory may be revealed in him.
No one alive today is responsible for the schism, and no one can heal it. Only Christ can do that. And whatever form that healing takes, God's glory will be revealed in us poor beggars.
Please keep writing. I am a Roman Catholic who also believes Holy Orthodoxy is right. I am old and physically ill so conversion may not be an option. But I am empowered by you.
Thank you, brother, for your support. If you'd like, please reach out to me at yankeeathonite[at]pm[dot]me. I'm sure there's an Orthodox priest in your area who would be happy to visit you, if that's what you desire.
We'll remember you by name in our prayers this evening.
Hi Theophan,
I'll admit I was a bit disappointed when I heard that you decided to join the Orthodox Church, though I was not surprised at all that you did. See, I could point to you and say, this guy is "my kind of Catholic". Which tells me, many things, I'll have to dwell on that. I may be a crypto-Orthodox myself... Still, I have my own reasons for staying faithful to the Catholic "side", in which I won't go into here (don't worry). The fact anyway, is that I agree on most points you bring to the table, or at least, I find in them a useful counterpoint to my thinking. But more important that *thinking*, I see that your heart in the right place, that is "ad orientem", not in a geographical, worldly meaning, but towards the Light that is Christ. One can't help but to be drawn to souls that love Christ. So count me among your readers should you decide to continue publishing here. God bless you!
Thank you, old friend. I hope you and your family are well! Drop me a line sometime if you'd like to catch up.
Thank you so very much for your writing. I had made up my mind to become Orthodox, and this post solidified my choice and gave me great comfort. God Bless you Brother 🙏☦️
Ah—glory to God! You'll be in my prayers. Please feel free to reach out anytime if the path gets difficult: yankeeathonite[at]pm[dot]me. God bless you, sister!
Maybe you could introduce us to some of the Orthodox Saints. At our Russian Orthodox church ☦ we celebrated, last Sunday,
Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles, Great Prince Vladimir
https://www.ponomar.net/cgi-bin/lives.cgi?id=43101
Please do continue to write as you explore the depths of orthodoxy. I was chrismated in October 2023. I am 76 and eager for fellowship with intelligent, curious, heartbroken souls enroute to the fullness of being indwelt by God and dwelling in God.
Amen. Thank you, Dick. Please feel free to write any time: yankeeathonite[at]pm[dot]me
Dear Theophan, as you make your way around the Orthodox scene in the Bay Area, you could get over to Sacramento to Saint Athanasius Antiochian Orthodox Church there, where I have some friends, Eric and Kami Grant and Steve and Donna Greenhut.if you do get there, please tell them hello and Christ is among us, for me.
My wife and I started attending a local Orthodox church several months ago and your writing was a big part of what introduced me to the Faith. Like you mentioned, the congregation where we attend is probably 80-90 percent converts and it's been a life-changing experience for us. We both came from a non-denominational Protestant background and had been concerned that service was starting to feel more like a hurried entertainment act versus a worship of Christ. I probably would've never even known about Orthodoxy without your initial writings on the subject. I completely understand if your path is taking away from regular writing, but (selfishly), I'd love to hear more about your journey; especially as someone very new to Orthodoxy. God bless!
Brother, this made my whole month. I'm so glad—and so humbled—that my writing played some role in your introduction to Orthodoxy. To God be the glory! And welcome to the Orthodox Church. As I'm sure you've noticed, it's a lot bigger on the inside.
This is quite interesting. I find it interesting primarily because I personally do not, and never have, understood people's apparent need for complexity when it comes to having a personal relationship with our Lord, Jesus the Christ. From my perspective all denominations, aka human designed organizations, are little different from the organizations of Scribes, Pharisees and Chief Priest of 2,000 years ago.
I realize Mark 9:38-41 informs me not everyone will serve Him the way I do so I can only judge other people's actions as it relates to my personal relation with Him. However I suspect the thief on the cross is glad he didn't have to consider such complexities before he was able to be in Paradise with Jesus that same day. Luke 23:40-43
Thank you for your comment! I'd highly recommend Fr. Stephen De Young's "The Religion of the Apostles" and Fr. Josiah Trenham's "Rock and Sand." Both make strong arguments that, from the time of the Apostles, the Church was understood to be episcopal—that is, led by bishops. Maintaining communion with these bishops was of vital importance.
But you're right about St. Dismas, the Good Thief. We're not saved by our opinions. We're saved by the grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
Thanks for this essay. As a convert of now 24 years (though first read Schmemann in the mid 80s) you are quite right that each person's path diverges from others. I came from those Presbys who were purusing a more liturgical form, and probably would have remained with them had I not had Prof. Aristeides Papadakis as my MA advisor. He was the first of the shocks to my system.
I didn't become Orthodox in some anti-Roman way, but because I saw the fathers in it. My initial PhD work was as a medievalist, and the last year jumped to Ren-Ref, basically looking at the inheritance of the fathers in the 15th and 16th centuries, and how Protism essentially (though not always materially) betrayed all of this.
Just a note: Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick is a friend, and came out of a pretty vanilla but very conservative form of evangelicalism. Semper, Cyril
I don't know how many devout Muslim subscribers you have, but I am certainly one and I have missed your newsletter. You are a talented writer and effective communicator. Be it why reactionaries have it right, church history, family vacations or whatever, it's always fun and informative.
I do hope that you keep writing. Even if it is just about church history, it is a wonderful touchstone to refer to and to wake up to to enjoy over coffee.
I understand your professional career as a Catholic writer has been hurt but I hope that your personal finances are stable. It is a big deal to risk this world for the world of the next. Good for you for having integrity. Would everyone of faith be so brave.
This is certainly unexpected! Thank you, my friend. I'm honored by your comment and hope my writing continues to be useful.
Yes, I found a new job working for an Orthodox press. Glory to God! And thank you for your concern.
It was great to see you in my inbox again this morning, Michael. Thanks for sharing this with us. I hope you'll stick around and continue to write, at least occasionally.
Thank you, Thomas! It's good to hear from you. Now the floodgates are open, I probably won't be able to resist writing more. But I'm glad to hear there are still some folks willing to hear me out.
Honest question, have the Orthodox had Marian apparitions like Catholics have?
There are some which are public, such as the apparition of Zeitoun. But the Orthodox tradition holds that if one receives a vision of Christ, the Theotokos, etc., it's best kept to oneself.
Two Orthodox takes on Roman Catholic Marian apparitions. Not all apparitions are equal, obviously, for even the Vatican rejects some and accepts some.
https://rusjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Fatima.pdf
http://www.events.orthodoxengland.org.uk/lourdes-and-fatima-true-or-false/
Michael- I hope your admission to the Orthodox Church brings you closer to God. I was pleased to see an update from you. I do hope you continue to write as you are quite talented and many readers benefit from your postings. I have read your first book twice and used the suggested readings. I have your second book which I am scheduled to read soon.
I'm honored by your comment, Dan, and I'll take it to prayer. Thank you for reading!
Having reached the same conclusion myself and made the same transition, I understand very well the difficulties of countering others' misconceptions regarding one's motivations. The best one can do is take it on the chin and stay true to one's convictions.
This is comforting. Thank you Fr. Addison.