Since the man who helped end the apartheid in South Africa has passed earlier this month, a number of people have had their opinion and judgment on Mandela – first as a man who can be considered ‘Christian’ and second if he is saved. (And yes I went there in posting a photo of Mandela and the late Pope Shenouda III) I don’t know what it is but many of us Christians, when someone of high profile and one of good honour and reputation passes, such as Nelson Mandela, it seems that the automatic response to do is to...

A brief contemplation on the purpose of the Incarnation for my life. The human mind is not able to grasp or will never able to fully comprehend an event so glorious as that of the Incarnation, yet God still reveals His truth among us to behold the awesomeness of His love and humility for us when He took flesh for our sake. I am in no way near of having the ability to express the depth and beauty of the Incarnation as our early fathers have (namely, St. Athanasius’ profound and must-read work for every Christian (and non-Christian too...

But most gladly I will rejoice in my infirmities..that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Cor 12:9) I am in no way writing as someone who has accomplished the power of pain, but I am writing to express something we all share in common and deal with regularly, so each one may receive hope and strength. Pain is a very supernatural thing. Every human life experiences pain in one way or another – from being born into the world until we take our last breath, we face uncomfortable realities that are foreign to our innate being....

This is a topic that has been on my heart for many years now, especially during the course of my studies in theology… and after yesterday’s event, I am compelled to write a brief explanation and exhortation on the dire need for apologetics in our modern day Orthodox Church. What is apologetics? (No it doesn’t relate to apologising – sorry 🙂 *pun intended* It’s a very early Christian practice (even pre-Christian too) where Christians would make a “speech in defence of the Christian faith.” (Patristic Lexicon, Lampe, Oxford, 1961). It comes from the Greek word “apologia” (ἀπολογία). So what is...

My Experience at the “Seminar on Theology” instituted by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II in Anaphora, Egypt, June 2013 *Brief account of my experience at the first theological seminar with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II – as requested 🙂  It was another normal weekday — woke up, had my quiet time, prepared myself to take on another day of research and more reading and translating and deciphering ancient Christian texts. But it soon became more exciting 🙂 I received an email about a “Coptic Theological Seminar” to be held in Anaphora, Egypt this June 2013. I wasn’t sure what...