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Book Study Begins Sept. 8: Arise, O God (The Gospel)

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With the blessing of Fr. Joseph, starting at 7pm on Sept. 8 (following Wednesday Vespers), we will begin a weekly study of the new book ARISE, O GOD: The Gospel of Christ’s Defeat of Demons, Sin, and Death, written by our own Fr. Andrew. The study will be led by him.

Get your copy at the parish bookstore or order online here. (BOOK TO BE RELEASED IN LATE AUGUST.)

FROM THE PUBLISHER: The gospel of Jesus Christ is not about what Jesus can do for your life. It is not even the answer to the question, “How can I be saved?” It is the declaration of a victory. In His coming to earth, His suffering, and His Resurrection, Christ conquered demons, sin, and death. In Arise, O God, author and podcaster Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick introduces us to the spiritual war that Christ won by His victory, how we are caught in that war’s cosmic crossfire, what the true content of the gospel is—and how we are to respond.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: The Very Rev. Archpriest Andrew Stephen Damick is Chief Content Officer of Ancient Faith Ministries, the former pastor (2009–2020) of St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church of Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and author of several books from Ancient Faith Publishing: “Orthodoxy and Heterodoxy,” “An Introduction to God,” and “Bearing God.” He hosts the podcasts “Orthodox Engagement” and “Amon Sûl” and also co-hosts “The Lord of Spirits” and “The Areopagus.” He resides in Emmaus with his wife, Kh. Nicole, and their children.

Please contact Fr. Andrew if you are interested in participating.

SCHEDULE

SEPT. 8: Preface, Prologue, and Chapter 1
What is the point of this book?
What Is Not the Gospel?
How Did the Gospel Become a Sales Pitch?
What Is a Gospel?
Gospel Is a Pre-Christian Genre
Not Caesar’s Gospel, but Christ’s

SEPT. 15: Chapter 2: Why Is There a Gospel?
The Fall: Death
The Fall: Sin
The Fall: Rule by Demons

SEPT. 22: Fr. Andrew will be away on travel, but a session will be held on another catechetical topic.

SEPT. 29: Chapter 3: Who is Jesus Christ?
Worshiping God or Gods?
The Son and Word of God
The Messiah of Israel
The Savior of the World
The Life of Jesus

OCT. 6: Chapter 4: What Did Jesus Christ Accomplish?
Undoing the Fall: Exorcism
Undoing the Fall: Forgiveness of Sin
Undoing the Fall: Resurrection

OCT. 13: Chapter 5: What Does Jesus Christ Expect of Us?
The Covenant of Faithfulness with God
Switching Sides
Repentance: Abandoning the Demonic
Repentance: Joining with the Angelic

OCT. 20: Chapter 6: Responding to the Gospel
Saved from What?
What Happens When Someone is Saved?
What Must I Do to Be Saved?
The Gospel

Book Study Starting May 19: The Religion of the Apostles

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With the blessing of Fr. Joseph, starting at 7pm on May 19 (following Wednesday Vespers), we will begin a weekly study of the new book The Religion of the Apostles: Orthodox Christianity in the First Century, written by Fr. Stephen De Young:

Father Dr. Stephen De Young traces the lineage of Orthodox Christianity back to the faith and witness of the apostles, which was rooted in a first-century Jewish worldview. The Religion of the Apostles presents the Orthodox Christian Church of today as a continuation of the religious life of the apostles, which in turn was a continuation of the life of the people of God since the beginning of creation.

About the Author: Father Stephen De Young is the pastor of Archangel Gabriel Orthodox Church (Antiochian) in Lafayette, Louisiana. He holds a PhD in Biblical Studies from Amridge University and is the host of The Whole Counsel of God podcast and co-host of the Lord of Spirits podcast on Ancient Faith Radio. He is also the author of The Whole Counsel Blog on the Ancient Faith Ministries website. For years Fr. Stephen has been teaching the Bible by taking ideas current in biblical scholarship and explaining them to laypeople to make both those ideas and the Scriptures more accessible.

It is essentially a one-volume Orthodox Biblical theology, giving an overall framework for understanding the Scriptures.

We’ll be looking at one chapter per week, tentatively to last 10 weeks.

Please contact Fr. Andrew if you are interested in participating.

Jan. 18 – Feb. 29: The Early Church (Saturday Night Class)

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On Saturday evenings at St. Paul’s, a 7-week educational series on the earliest years of the Church — from the first through third centuries — is being taught by Dr. Cyril (Gary) Jenkins, Van Gorden Professor in History at Eastern University and Director of the St. Basil Center for Orthodox Thought and Culture.

The schedule for each evening is as follows:

    5pm Great Vespers
    5:45pm Potluck Meal (bring a dish to share)
    6pm Short Lecture with Discussion

Syllabus

18 Jan: The Church of the First Century I
Sources and the Apostolic Church

25 Jan: The Church of the First Century II
The Church of the Late First Century and the Ferment of Heresy

1 Feb: The Church of the Second Century I
Martyrdom and Apologists

8 Feb: The Church of the Second Century II
Gnosticism and Catholicity

15 Feb: The Church of the Third Century I
Athens and Jerusalem: Montanism, Origen, and the Greeks

22 Feb: The Church of the Third Century II
The Emergence of Latin Theology: Hippolytus, Cyprian, and Tertullian

29 Feb: The Church of the Third Century III
The blood of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church

Exploring Orthodox Christianity: Advent Unit

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EXPLORING ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY is a six-week experience for anyone interested in understanding better the faith, teachings, history, worship and practices of the Orthodox Christian Church. This Advent Unit (Saturdays Nov. 10 – Dec. 22) is complemented by a Lent Unit held in the Spring.

This evening program begins with 5pm Vespers on Saturday night, followed by a common potluck fasting meal (roughly 6pm, no meat or dairy, please) and a short presentation and discussion. One or more church members will give the presentation(s) and moderate the discussion. Each evening’s program should wrap up by 7-7:30pm.

This program is recommended for all interested (including Orthodox Christians, non-Christians or non-Orthodox Christians) and is also part of the standard preparation for formally enrolled catechumens of the parish (those who have made a commitment to become Orthodox Christians).

TOPIC SCHEDULE FOR ADVENT 2019
(subject to adjustment as needed):

November 16 – Church History Orientation
Overview
Ecumenical Councils
Historical sources
Also: Clergy & hierarchy

November 23 – Prayer in the Orthodox Tradition
Prayer in the Orthodox tradition (Personal and Corporate)

November 30 – Sacraments (Holy Mysteries) I
What are the Holy Mysteries?
Baptism
Chrismation
Eucharist

December 7 – Sacraments (Holy Mysteries) II
Marriage
Holy Unction
Holy Orders
Confession (Penance)

December 14 – Feasts and Fasts
The Church Year
Overview of Major Feasts
Overview of Major Fasts
Why fast?

December 21 – Other Topics
The Theotokos & Other Saints
Prayer with the saints
Stewardship / Ministry
Tradition / Scripture

St. Paul’s Hosts Orthodox Conference on Author J. R. R. Tolkien

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On Sept. 27-28, 2019, in conjunction with the St. Basil Center for Orthodox Thought and Culture and the Amon Sûl Podcast, St. Paul’s hosted DoxaMoot: The Orthodox Christian Tolkien Conference, featuring lectures from pastor Fr. Andrew Stephen Damick, as well as novelist Dcn. Nicholas Kotar, Prof. Alfred Siewers, parishioner Prof. Cyril Gary Jenkins, and author Michael Haldas.

Over 70 people gathered from 11 US states and the Canadian province of Ontario to listen to spiritually edifying talks, to gather for prayer and meals, and to engage in discussion about how Orthodox Christians read the popular fantasy author’s Middle-earth works and find applicability in a way compatible with Orthodox spiritual life.

The dates for the next DoxaMoot are April 24-25, 2020, also to be hosted at St. Paul’s.

St. Paul Antiochian Orthodox Church

Planting the Seeds of Orthodoxy,
Cultivating Christian Community

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