Pastoral Zeal as Priestly Identity

August 4, 2021 By Guest Contributor

By Father Lazar Arasu SDB The concept of priest is easily understood in relation to the Levitical priesthood as shown in the Old Testament. Their primary responsibility was to offer sacrifice according to the Mosaic Law. In the New Testament, the priests are more identified with their pastoral ministry, the supervisory role as elders and being a “servant” to the community. They were rightly called presbyters or elders, who are more of administrators, leaders and assembly elders. The Letter to... Read more

Making a Difference: Let Us Venture Together from Darkness into the Light

February 19, 2021 By guest writer

By guest writer Tony Magliano On Ash Wednesday, with dust-like ashes crossed upon our foreheads we were each invited to call to mind that this mortal body, this earthly life, is passing away – sooner than we realize – and that you and I would be wise to diligently prepare for eternity, to get our lives in God-like order: “Remember you are dust and to dust you will return.” Another essential message presented to us as we received... Read more

Christianity, an Image of the Social and Political Society

February 6, 2021 By guest writer

by guest writer Gavril Andreicut, Ph.D. Christianity has always been influenced by history, by the political and social character of society. Consequently, since Christianity has changed according to the political and social circumstances of society, it is an image of the world and less of God’s kingdom. The sacred—that is, the church—and the secular are two distinct spheres and there is not much relationship between the two. But a person who claims to be Christian, saved, and God’s child strives... Read more

Making a Difference: Slavery in the 21st Century

February 4, 2021 By guest writer

By guest writer Tony Magliano Slavery ended in the 19th century, right? Wrong. It’s an easy enough mistake to make. After all, the end of America’s civil war and the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – both in 1865 – brought an end to slavery in the U.S. And the British Slavery Abolition Act in 1834 ended slavery in the West Indies, Mauritius, and South Africa. But many countries didn’t outlaw slavery until the 20th century. In fact, it... Read more

Is Jesus the Essence and Center of Christianity?

January 28, 2021 By guest writer

by guest writer Gavril Andreicut, Ph.D. For most persons, Jesus is an important figure of the past. As it is the case with most figures of the past, Jesus has not much meaning in people’s daily life because their words and deeds do not consciously consider Jesus’s teachings and life; if we did, we would certainly have a different Christianity and world today. What makes people to acknowledge Jesus is very likely the spirit of society that still calls itself “Christian.”... Read more

Making a Difference – President Biden: ‘Build Back Better’ for Everyone, Everywhere

January 24, 2021 By guest writer

By guest writer Tony Magliano With all the bumps and craters in the road to the White House, Joe Biden has finally arrived. Biden is now the President of the United States. And with all the urgent national and international issues on his plate, the man deserves and needs our full support. The new president’s “Build Back Better” plan is aimed at vigorously confronting the increasing deadly pandemic, the economic crisis, racial injustice and climate change – all... Read more

Under What Flag Do You Serve?

January 21, 2021 By guest writer

by guest writer Gavril Andreicut The topic of freedom is often discussed by both religious and secular people. Due to the nature of society, people have to serve under a certain flag and/or authority and are not wholly free. This reality is as old as civilization. And although the concept of freedom has evolved according to the particularities of time and history, the reality is the same: people are not free, cannot be free, and sometimes do not want to... Read more

Christianity, a Divine Religion or Just a Religious Historical Tradition?

January 2, 2021 By guest writer

by guest writer Gavril Andreicut, Ph.D. This is a very important question. If Christianity is a human affair, historically conditioned and without a divine message, then Christianity is nothing more than a religious tradition that has changed according to history and its particularities. This article assumes that Christianity is a divinely inspired historical tradition. I do not intend to clarify the question in this short article, but I do believe that we can distinguish between what is from... Read more

Thoughts on Christmas: Providence and Grace

December 22, 2020 By guest writer

by guest writer Gavril Andreicut, Ph.D. According to Paul, Jesus was born at the proper time, “when the fulness of time had come,” when everything was prepared to receive Jesus. (Galatians 4:4) Paul Tillich, in his A History of Christian Thought, argues that the birth of Jesus happened “when everything was ready for it to happen.” The Gospel of Luke places the birth of Jesus in a historical context, trying to make his gospel appealing and reliable. In addition, most (if... Read more

The Birth of Jesus and the Pattern of Christian Life

December 17, 2020 By guest writer

by guest writer Gavril Andreicut, Ph.D. Origins are important in life because they are its most important reference. For the Christian, the birth of Jesus is arguably the most remarkable event of history, the moment when God’s Son enters history in a human form, and it marks the beginning of His earthly mission of salvation, which culminated with His suffering, death, and resurrection. The point of this short article is that the main features of Jesus’s birth story are simplicity... Read more