Father Seraphim Rose Speaks - New Videos

Special Post for the 38th Anniversary of the Repose of Blessed Hieromonk Seraphim of Platina 

Recent years have seen a wealth of Blessed Father Seraphim's writings and talks uploaded to YouTube. 

There are several recordings of Father Seraphim himself delivering some talks, but these are rare, and most of these YouTube videos feature someone reading the text. Some years back the trend was for such videos to use text-to-speech software to avoid the many hours of dictation involved, but such computer-generated recordings, with their soulless, robotic, AI voice, do violence to the text, and present Father Seraphim's teachings in the most ironic manner imaginable. They quickly become very difficult to listen to as a result.

The most recent offerings, several highlights of which are posted below, are well done readings by the dedicated hosts of these various YouTube channels, for whom, we can only assume, these labors are a holy podvig, and we give thanks for the efforts of the channels Orthodox Wisdom, Orthodox Reactionary, and others. 

In addition, there are numerous videos which present excerpts of Father Seraphim's teachings in scrolling text against a photographic backdrop accompanied by low volume Greek or Russian Orthodox chant, as seen on the Gregory Decapolite and Nicodemos Hagiorite channels. These presentations have enormous impact on the soul, and somehow impart what Father Seraphim called "the savor of Orthodoxy" even in spite of this post-modern technology, format and platform.

We offer these links for your prayerful edification . . .

Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future (12 videos)

Nihilism: The Root of the Revolution of the Modern Age (7 videos)

God's Revelation to the Human Heart (2 videos)

Orthodox Survival Course (21 videos)

Fr. Seraphim Rose - Articles & Teachings (5 videos) Three presentations, including:  

• The Royal Path - True Orthodox in an Age of Apostasy 

• Orthodoxy in the USA 

• The Holy Fathers of Orthodox Spirituality

For many more video listings, proceed to our special Fr. Seraphim Rose Resource Page . . .

 

My Ancient Faith Today Interview now available as a podcast

On Tuesday, August 4 at 9pm ET I joined Fr Tom Soroka on Ancient Faith Today for a Live Interview and Call-In Discussion on Reaching Muslims with the Gospel.

The hour flew by, and we enjoyed a wide ranging conversation with some very thoughtful questions from listeners which helped lead us into further deep reflections on this important topic.

LISTEN:
Ancient Faith Today Live - Reaching Muslims with the Gospel

Fr Tom and I have been friends for over thirty years, and it was a joy and an honor to join him on one AFR's flagship internet radio shows to discuss our hope "that none would perish, but that all might be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth" which is in Christ Jesus.

This was the third of a three-part series on Islam-related topics on Ancient Faith Today Live. Listen to the other two podcasts here:

• Hagia Sophia - An Uncertain Future

• Islam: Historical Encounters and Contemporary Realities

(VIDEO) Mark Durie - The Hidden History of the Qur’an

How the text of the Qur’an tells a ‘hidden’ story about its own origins.

In his recent book, The Qur’an and its Biblical Reflexes, and in this video (from the June 11, 2020 live webinar), Mark Durie explores how the text of the Qur’an tells a ‘hidden’ story about its own origins, one which is different from the conventional account.

The Qur’an is a difficult book to read and understand. Within the religion of Islam, its text has always been read, explained and understood through the lens of the biography of Muhammad, which was itself based on later, sources committed to writing more than a century after the Qur’an came into existence.

This is a story about a small religious community, not located in Mecca, but somewhere else, enjoying a more moderate climate suited to agriculture but vulnerable to earthquakes, which found itself facing an existential theological crisis. Tune into this webinar to hear Mark Durie tell the story of how this crisis was resolved, and the momentous consequences which continue to influence the lives of billions, right down to the present day.

Ex-Muslims denounce Abu Dhabi ‘Deception', warn against Muslim practice of 'Taqiyya'

Arabic-speaking Muslim converts to Christ warn that Roman Catholic support of the Abu Dhabi Declaration "is not based on the 'Islamic theological implications of the Arabic text', and this reflects an inability to see through the 'deception' and fall for the 'fake human rights rhetoric'."

In short, these brave converts to Christ are warning against the Same God Heresy.

Embracing Deception: Pope Francis signs Abu Dhabi Declaration

Their point is well taken, and fully in keeping with the teaching of the New Testament, which warns against accepting a false gospel, a different Jesus, and a different spirit:

“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be anathema!” (Gal 1:6-8). 

"As we said before, so say I now again: If any preach any other gospel unto you than that which you have received, let him be anathema" (Gal 1:8-9). 

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in the latter times some will depart from the Faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy" (1 Tim 4:1-2). 

The indefatiguable Robert Spencer of Jihad Watch offers this warning in his post on the article:

“The chasm between Islam and Jahiliyyah [the society of unbelievers] is great, and a bridge is not to be built across it so that the people on the two sides may mix with each other, but only so that the people of Jahiliyyah may come over to Islam.” — Sayyid Qutb, Milestones, chapter 10. (Mother Mosque Foundation edition p. 140) 

It is abundantly clear from this report that the Muslim framers of the bu Dhabi declaration were following Qutb’s guidance and crafting a document designed to lead Catholics to Islam. Meanwhile, the Catholic partners in the dialogue had no idea that this was happening, and assumed that their partners were operating in good faith as they were. Their naivete will cost the lives of the Christians murdered in the lands of Islam while no one speaks up for them, for fear of harming the dialogue, much less lifts a finger to defend them.

 “Leave them; they are blind guides. And if a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” (Matthew 15:14)

Related:

• Pope signs pact with Islam declaring ‘diversity of religions’ is ‘willed by God’
• Historic 'Covenant of World Religions' sees Pope Francis openly commit Apostasy, equate Islam with Christianity

Ex-Muslims Unmask Abu Dhabi ‘Deception’

by Jules Gomes, ChurchMilitant.com, May 27, 2020:


ROME (ChurchMilitant.com) – A network of Muslim converts, who face the death penalty for apostasy from Islam, are denouncing the Abu Dhabi declaration as a “deception” for “subtle but significant differences” in the Arabic text of the document.

The ex-Muslims from the Arab world are also lamenting Cdl. Gerhard Müller’s naïveté after the orthodox prelate defended the covenant on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together in the May-June issue of Communio.

Müller insists that the text focuses on “fundamental human rights” with “God as their originator and guarantor,” because “all people are born free and equal in dignity and rights” and “human rights are based on the dignity that God himself bestowed on every human being.”

In a preliminary analysis of the declaration shown to Church Militant on condition of anonymity, the Arab-speaking converts say that Cdl. Müller’s reading is not based on the “Islamic theological implications of the Arabic text,” and this reflects his inability to see through the “deception” and fall for the “fake human rights rhetoric.”

VIDEO: David Wood on Global Persecution of Christians (Banned by YouTube as Hate Speech)

David Wood of Acts17 Apologetics had posted a video discussing the facts and statistics of Open Doors' 2020 World Watch List, their annual report on the persecution of Christians around the globe. 

YouTube took down his video, and gave him a strike for hate speech. Two more strikes within a 90 day period, and his channel will be permanently taken down.

You can watch David's response here. Below is the video which YouTube classified as "hate speech," hosted now on David Wood's BitChute channel.

His plan is to release a series of videos on Global Persecution of Christians in the coming days.

As followers of this blog know, approximately 80% of all persecution of Christians is committed by Muslims.

(VIDEO) Proto-Martyr Evgeny Rodionov (May 23)

On May 23 the Orthodox Church commemorates the New Martyr Evgeny Rodionov, who in 1996 was brutally tortured and murdered by Chechen Muslims for refusing to remove his cross.

Evgeny is one of the ProtoMartyrs under the sword of the false religion of Islam for the New Cloud of Witnesses of the 21st Century. His refusal to deny Christ is both a sign and an inspiration to us today.

Evgeny's martyrdom at the end of the 20th century was a sign of the newly emboldened ascendency of the foul religion of Muhammad, which has led to new waves of persecution of Christians throughout the world, and an ever growing choir of New Martyrs for Christ, slain by Muslims across Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, America, and elsewhere.

Watch the video below, and learn more about Holy New Martyr Evgeny on our special resource page dedicated to him.

Dr. Timothy R. Furnish: 'The Prince of Peace vs. the False Prophets of Islam'

"As certain Muslims honor the birthday of their main messianic figure, consider the superiority of Jesus."

A timely article from one of the most perceptive and knowledgeable Christian writers on Islam today, Timothy Furnish. In addition to being a regular contributor to The Stream, Tim posts on his blog, The Occidental Jihadist.



The Prince of Peace vs. the False Prophets of Islam

by Timothy R. Furnish, The Stream, April 10, 2020

Islam denies this, and what happened three days later (plus a whole lot more).

Yesterday was Maundy Thursday — the day on which Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. That evening, some 1990 years ago, Christ was arrested. Eventually He was crucified on Good Friday, which we remember today.

Yesterday was also, according to Twelver Shi`i Muslims, the birthday of their main messianic figure: Imam Muhammad al-Mahdi.

Piety Not Politics, For a Change

I am a Christian who’s been studying Islam for almost three decades. Often I write as an analyst of the Islamic world. That usually means focusing on the geopolitics of the Middle East, Islamic Africa and South Asia. But not today.

Considering the juxtaposition of Holy Week and Mahdist celebration, I want to look at the world’s second-largest religion primarily from a believer’s perspective.

Christian Views of Salvation in Other Religions

There have been three broad Christian approaches to whether salvation can be achieved in other religions. The oldest, exclusivism, said “no.” Pluralism, more recently, has said “yes.” Inclusivism, also modern, says “maybe/probably.”

Apostasy in Ireland during the Coronavirus Pandemic - Catholic Priest invites Muslims to offer prayers at Mass

"A video of the Islamic prayer released on Twitter showed one of the Muslims in the pulpit cantillating the Adhan [Islamic call to prayer] in Arabic... which unambiguously asserts that God’s revelation to Muhammad has supplanted and superseded God’s prior revelations to Moses in the Old Testament and to Jesus in the New Testament.”

With Pope Francis' ongoing initiative towards Islam, we can expect to see many more such instances of open apostasy in Roman Catholic churches. 

Inviting Muslims to speak at or pray at Christian gatherings is one of the most blasphemous manifestations of the Same God Heresy. Bishops, priests and clergy who do so have openly sealed their apostasy, and should be excommunicated. And Orthodox Christian Churches, Seminaries and institutions who are in dialogue with Christian bodies who perform such scandalous acts should immediately break off their relations with them until they repent.

In related news, the Coronavirus is also being used as an opportunity to spread the virus of ecumenism in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese:

Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America of the Patriarchate of Constantinople led an ecumenical prayer service with the Catholic Cardinal and Evangelical Lutheran bishop of Chicago. 

Previously, on March 14, he issued a directive ordering the immediate suspension of “all liturgical services in parishes of the Holy Metropolis of Chicago.”

Muslim Declares Muhammad’s Supremacy Over Jesus at Catholic Mass 

by Jules Gomes, ChurchMilitant.com, April 3, 2020:


COUNTY MAYO, Ireland (ChurchMilitant.com) Muslims, invited by a Catholic priest in Ireland to pray alongside him during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, prayed the Adhan — the Islamic call to prayer that categorically proclaims Islam’s supremacy over its forebears — Judaism and Christianity.

Father Stephen Farragher, parish priest of St. Patrick’s Church in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo, invited two Muslims to “pray in solidarity” with him “the final blessing and prayer” at the 10 a.m. Friday Mass to be broadcast on radio, Midwest Radio Irelandreported.

Mohammed Cherbatji and Mohammed Rahmani joined Fr. Farragher to seek a blessing on all frontline health care workers and frontline workers during the pandemic and pray for the eradication of the Wuhan virus. The church was reportedly empty because of the Wuhan virus restrictions.

However, a video of the Islamic prayer released on Twitter showed one of the Muslims in the pulpit cantillating the Adhan in Arabic.

Church Militant contacted a scholar in Islamic jurisprudence and Arabic expert who confirmed that the prayer was not a blessing for health care workers but the “Islamic call to prayer, which conclusively and unambiguously asserts that God’s revelation to Muhammad has supplanted and superseded God’s prior revelations to Moses in the Old Testament and to Jesus in the New Testament.”

The Adhan asserts: “Allah is the greatest. I bear witness that there is no god except Allah. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer. Come to salvation.” These affirmations are repeated twice.

World Watch List 2020: '260 Million Christians Experience High Levels of Persecution'

"...Not only does 'Islamic oppression' remain the chief 'source of persecution' faced by Christians in 7 of the absolute ten worst nations, but 38 of the 50 nations composing the list are either Muslim majority or have a sizable Muslim population."

A Global Catastrophe: '260 Million Christians Experience High Levels of Persecution'
by Raymond Ibrahim, February 3, 2020

The global persecution of Christians has reached unprecedented levels: “260 million Christians experience high levels of persecution” around the world, notes the recently published World Watch List 2020, an annual report that ranks the top 50 countries where Christians are most persecuted for their faith.

Additionally, “2,983 Christians were killed for faith-related reasons. On average, that’s 8 Christians killed every day for their faith”: “9,488 churches or Christian buildings were attacked,” and “3,711 Christians were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced and imprisoned.” (Note: All quotes in this article are from the WWL 2020 report.)

Dictatorial paranoia continues to make North Korea (#1) the worst nation. Christians found there are instantly “deported to labor camps as political criminals or even killed on the spot.”

Otherwise, and as has been the case in all statistics and reports on the global persecution of Christians, not only does “Islamic oppression” remain the chief “source of persecution” faced by Christians in 7 of the absolute ten worst nations, but 38 of the 50 nations composing the list are either Muslim majority or have a sizeable Muslim population.

"Perhaps the most disturbing trend is that the amount of persecuted Christians continues to grow year after year."

The overwhelming majority of these Muslim nations are governed by some form of shari‘a (Islamic law). It is either directly enforced by government or society or, more frequently, both, though societies—family members in particular—tend to be more zealous in its application. Brief summaries of the seven Muslim nations making the top ten follow:

Raymond Ibrahim: 'Islamic reform? Top Muslim university says no'

"Renewal is in no way possible concerning those texts which are irrefutable in their certainty and stability." 

- Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb 

"The problem is that many of the worst teachings plaguing the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds are derived directly from those texts deemed entirely reliable." 

- Raymond Ibrahim

Islamic reform? Top Muslim university says no

by Raymond Ibrahim, American Thinker, February 16, 2020

Pope Francis greets Egypt's Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb at Abu Dhabi Conference in 2019

Largely unknown to and unreported in the West, a large, two-day conference was recently hosted (Jan. 27–28) by Al Azhar University in Egypt and attended by the leading clerics and politicians from 46 nations. Titled "Renewal in Islamic Thought," it is currently the most significant response to Egyptian president Sisi's calls for reform, which he forcibly made on January 1, 2015.

The conference focused on the most pressing topics affecting the Islamic — and in some cases non-Islamic — world, including women's rights, government and society, and the question of "radicalization" and the emergence of jihadi terror groups such as the Islamic State.

I've watched many of the panels with great interest, and in the coming weeks, I hope to remark on some of these, but for now I wish to discuss what can be learned from the closing remarks of the grand imam of Al Azhar (and Pope Francis's good friend), Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb.

First, he — in agreement with the other clerics present — closed the door on the possibility for reform on a great number of issues: "Renewal," he announced, "is in no way possible concerning those texts which are irrefutable in their certainty and stability; as for those texts that are not entirely credible, they are subject to ijtihad [reinterpretation, especially based on changing circumstances]."

'The problem is that many of the worst teachings plaguing the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds are derived directly from those texts deemed entirely reliable.'

In plain language, the teachings of those Islamic texts that are deemed entirely reliable — chief among them, the Koran as well as certain hadith, including, according to mainstream Sunnism, all nine volumes of Sahih Bukhari — are not subject to any change; only those secondary Islamic texts, including many other volumes of hadith, the sira (biography of Muhammad), and other works of history, are open to debate.

The problem is that some — many — of the worst teachings plaguing the Islamic and non-Islamic worlds are derived directly from those texts deemed entirely reliable. The Koran, for example, very clearly permits the sexual enslavement of non-Muslim women, the beating of one's wife, and polygamy. The Koran calls on Muslims to have hate for and when convenient to war on non-Muslims just because they are non-Muslims.