One of the many things I am thankful for in being an Orthodox priest is that the most important thing I do is scripted. As a musician, I was never inclined to jazz (or any kind of improvisation); I found my greatest joy when playing difficult pieces with a group that worked well together. … [Read more...]
On the Problem of Scientific and Spiritual Validation
As a social scientist, I was trained to test models based on their internal and external validity. A good model would explain a significant portion of the variation within the sample data (i.e. have internal validity) AND have applicability beyond that sample (i.e. in the "real world" or on … [Read more...]
The Priesthood and the Vision Thing
Every priest needs to have a vision for his priesthood and for the parish he serves. Because today's blog is a continuation of yesterday's on leadership, this post will focus on the latter. So... do you have done the hard work of discerning a vision for your parish? Most of us haven't. If … [Read more...]
“Can’t I Just Serve Well?”
This is a question/conversation that comes up fairly regularly with seminarians and priests. I strongly believe that in most American parishes it is NOT enough to just serve well and that one of the things we are called to do as "fathers" is lead. Yes, we need to strengthen our own life in … [Read more...]
Self-Discipline, Camaraderie, and the Demon of Noonday
Even in the West, where we have built up huge walls to keep it out (and bread and circuses to keep us busy when the siege is strong and infiltrations are many), pain makes its way into our lives. Pain may not be the right word; I'm not talking about the sudden "oops I stubbed my toe" sensation, but … [Read more...]
GGWB Episode #16: Honor Among Priests
"Honor Among Priests" Fr. Anthony Perkins Good Guys Wear Black Podcast (AFR, 10 November 2016) In this episode, Fr. Anthony uses insights from his former career in intelligence to explain the spiritual vulnerability of our priests (and the need for vigilance). After a commercial break for a new … [Read more...]
A Code of Conduct for the Brotherhood of Priests (a first cut)
When I joined the Army, we were quickly taught the Army Values, the Soldier's Creed, and the Code of Conduct (and similar sets of rules/expectations). We learned them by memory and had to recite them – and live by them– even under stress. At the same time we began learning the unwritten rules of the … [Read more...]
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