Mark Olson

Something to ponder, and this is from memory so I might get it a little wrong. But it’s been puzzling me.St. Gregory Palamas asserted that the fall of man was not an ontological change but an anthropological one.Metropolititan John Zizioulas asserts that Baptism is an ontological change.So is . . . . Continue Reading »

Recently there was a discussion over Scripture at Evangel over whether it was infallible or inerrant and what that might mean. But this discussion I offer, in an important way is missing the point. [updated for clarity] In  a prior discussion on inerrance/infallibility, I was pointed at some . . . . Continue Reading »

At Evangel, the Rev Paul T. McCain noted that he was somewhat unfamiliar with the details and differences of and between the Eastern Orthodox and the Western (liturgical) calendars. So, with that in mind, I thought I’d attempt to fill in what’s happening and up and coming for the . . . . Continue Reading »

Well, as promised I’m going to try to talk about my upcoming oral final exam, an Old Testament homily for my late-vocations class that I’m taking. We were given the task of selecting a OT lection (reading section from the liturgical rubrics) and give an approximately 10 minute homily on . . . . Continue Reading »

Theodicy is a topic I’ve been thinking about a bit. Next weekend, in the OT course I’m taking my final is to give a 10 minute homily on an Old Testament lection (assigned reading for a liturgy, matins, or vespers service). I was considering doing my little talk on a Genesis reading, . . . . Continue Reading »

Here’s a quick question for Protestant readers, especially those who adhere to innerrancy and Sola Scriptura ... although those of other traditions might jump in.Look at the endings of these two books:II Kings 25:27-30Now it came to pass in the 37th year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of . . . . Continue Reading »

The noble savage as characterised by Jean Jacques Rousseau has been repeated in a variety of venues. The 19th century Slavophile movement in Russia idolized the “simple” peasant. Thomas Jefferson repeated that notion with his political writings emphasizing the single family farm as a . . . . Continue Reading »

The topic of torture and Christian ethics is now a heated discussion topic here. I’d like to ask a (perhaps naive) question about torture. Where is the harm located? What ethical principles are being violated by torture?Sixteen years ago, I contracted appendicitis and was in the hospital three . . . . Continue Reading »

I’m not a poet. Actually, a more candid statement more accurately state that I’m just about as far removed from being a poet and possessing poetic sensibilities as one might get. When I read prose fiction, I don’t see words ... images and a sense of what transpires moves through my . . . . Continue Reading »

Mr Turk makes an interesting point in the conversation about ecumenical conversations, although I’m not entirely sure it’s the point he wants to make. A week or so ago he offered that those of other denominations, specifically the Roman and Easter churches were right with God only if . . . . Continue Reading »