Many years ago I was inspired to begin keeping a spiritual journal. Inspired but not moved. How much I wish that false humility or just sheer laziness had not prevailed and that I had done so.
But nearly two years ago, I finally took the first step and created this blog. A beginning had been made. Two days. Two posts. Then silence. Total silence.
To the curious explorer steaming up the backwaters of the blogosphere, or to anyone directed here by a signpost at The Continuum, I think there's a good chance that 2008 will prove to be a more prolific year at φιλοκαλειν than was 2007, though that's not saying much.
I do hope to finally make a go of journaling, and have a a very good reason to start now.
Earlier this week, I said farewell to The Continuum, the continuing Anglican blog I created three years ago.
In announcing that, I explained that my "soul is much in need of healing, and my vocation as a Christian much in need of rediscovery. In my splendid isolation here on Cyprus, I have found it impossible to live the life of continuing Anglicanism effectively and sacramentally. I cannot continue to live this way.
"As a consequence, I have resolved to seek instruction in the Orthodox faith with a view to eventually being received into the Church of Cyprus."
For now, I have very little to report, except to say that I have announced my intention to two very important people.
One is a very dear friend of mine, who is a cantor at an Orthodox church in Nicosia and who has been gently encouraging me towards Orthodoxy for a couple of years. I hope that he will be my sponsor. The other is a young English-speaking priest, Fr Andreas, who, I hope, might serve as point man on helping me get the instruction I need and to find a parish that is suitable for me.
One such place might be Ayios Nicolaos in Engomi, where the pastor, Fr Ioannis, is celebrating, or serving as they say in Orthodoxy, a monthly liturgy in English. I hope to go on Saturday morning. Perhaps, in the end, it will be Fr Ioannis who takes me under his wing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
Is your conversion (probably the wrong word to use, but what should I call it?) merely geographical in nature, or is it also theological/ecclesiological?
Will you be going into further detail about your story in the future?
billyhw,
Since I announced on The Continuum earlier this week that I was seeking to be received into the Orthodox faith, I have received numerous messages from people, on the blog and privately, expressing with warmth and Christian fraternity their best wishes and prayers for me as I continue my spiritual journey.
Most of these people I have known for a good while, either personally or through The Continuum. I have a sense of who they are and what they are all about. Their words were spoken from their hearts to mine.
Some of them, already there, welcomed me into Orthodoxy. Others, Anglican, expressed understanding for the agonising dilemma that I have faced. Others told of their own dilemmas. They shared something of who they are, either to give me strength as I soldier on, or to seek my thoughts, or perhaps even guidance. I shall ask some of them if I may share some of their thoughts here.
Then there is you. I have no idea who you are, or where you are coming from, or what motivates you. I only know that you have spoken to me and about me on The Continuum with what appear to be demands to justify myself, to explain myself to your satisfaction. Perhaps I am wrong, and perhaps you lack a gentler way of discourse. Perhaps you are genuinely interested in my journey of faith. But if you are, I do not perceive it.
Your appearance in the combox here shows a slightly less confrontational approach, but still leaves me feeling uncomfortable. So perhaps, with a view to future conversation here, you might tell me and other readers a bit about yourself.
You have asked two questions. The answer to the second is yes. I thought I made that clear in this post.
As to your first question, I thought I had expressed in my Farewell on The Continuum what would indicate that my decision was two-fold: it was geographical and theological/ecclesiological.
I look forward to hearing from you.
How do, Albion!
Here's wishing you all the best on this new blog, and looking forward to your posts.warwickensis
Oh what a joy, to find a message here from the eminent Warwickensis!
Greetings Fr.(?) Land,
I am nobody special. I am a Catholic who likes to read religiously themed blogs of all sorts, including your Anglican Continuum blog. I like reading the debates and arguments, back and forth, that are found on such blogs. Sometimes I join in in the comboxes, just for fun, and to the best of my limited abilities. My attitude is "we're all having fun here."
Often it is difficult to correctly interpret someone's tone in a text-based conversation on the internet. On the internet, people always assume the worst possible tone when reading someone else's text. And I am as guilty as anyone else. I am not a particularly emotional person, and I do not express myself in flowery, artificially kind ways. I don't engage in "love-ins" about people's "journeys" and "agonies" etc. ala Oprah. That is simply my personality. I am not overly-sensitive, and don't particularly interact well with those who are.
I am interested in reading about your reasons for joining Orthodoxy. As the founder of a blog created to defend Anglicanism, surely you agree it is an interesting story. I am not demanding that you to "justify yourself." I don't really care, or know you personally. I am interested in hearing your reasons and arguments and watching others interact with them. You have been and will be blogging publicly about religion on your various blogs, presumably because you want others to read what you have to say, and also enjoy these sorts of discussions. If you didn't, you wouldn't blog. And if you didn't want responses/interaction with readers, you wouldn't have comboxes.
Billy,
Thanks for introducing yourself, and welcome to you.
Post a Comment