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Churchianity vs Christianity
The expression churchianity was coined by C. S. Lewis. Isn t it a word that describes the parable of Christ or rather, the event in which the Lord Jesus Christ pronounced his condemnation on the barren fig tree? Had it been barren, leafless, dead, Christ would not have condemned it. He might even have spoken a word of life and brought it into newness. But this tree stood there gloriously adorned with leaves, telling everyone around that it was enough to come up to it in order to find a harvest of ripe fruits. But there was nothing but leaves. The appearance was there; of reality, there was nothing. The words spoken by Christ are frightening. He said, there will never be a fruit on your branches until the end of the world.
113 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 4, 2018
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95 people want to read
About the author
Anthony Bloom
91 books82 followersMetropolitan Anthony (Bloom) of Sourozh was a prominent writer and broadcaster on prayer and the Christian life, as well as the founder and leader of the Russian Orthodox Diocese of Sourozh.
See also: Antonie de Suroj, Anthony of Sourozh, Antonijus Surožietis, Антоний Сурожский, Anthony van Sourozh, Антоний Сурожки
See also: Antonie de Suroj, Anthony of Sourozh, Antonijus Surožietis, Антоний Сурожский, Anthony van Sourozh, Антоний Сурожки
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 30, 2022
Între filele acestei cărți sunt strânse cele 9 cuvântări tematice ținute de mitropolitul Antonie în primăvara lui 1990 (februarie-iunie). Prelegerile ”curg” una din alta, existând câteva dedicate exclusiv întrebărilor din partea publicului. Tema centrală este combaterea mimesis-ului artfilicial în biserică (dar nu ca o luptă încrâncenată, ci ca o asumare și o încercare de depășire a neputințelor de a fi/face mai mult). Încă de la început se precizează că termenul ”bisericozitate” a fost inventat și vehiculat de C.S. Lewis.
”Ar trebui să ne hotărâm să încetăm a mai rosti rugăciunile sfinților pe care îi slăvim, dar nu îi imităm, care ne mișcă emoțional, dar nu spre o viață nouă”. (p.15)
”Suntem imperfecți în două moduri diferite: putem fi imprefecți în timp ce ne străduim să mergem spre Dumnezeu sau putem fi imperfecți în timp ce ne îndepătăm de Dumnezeu” (p.20)
Lașitatea noastră ca vestitori ai luminii este descrisă foarte corect ”Dumnezeu ne spune să ieșim în lume pentru a pune în lucrare mântuirea Lui. Însă noi alergăm înapoi ca să ne ascundem sub mantia Lui ... Aproape că Îi spunem: mori pentru mine. Mie îmi este frică să mor atât pentru mine, cât și pentru aproapele meu, chiar și pentru Tine.” (p.21)
”Fii puternic cu puterea lui Dumnezeu, nu cu puterea ta omenească neînsemnată” (p.50)
”Dacă L-am iubi cu adevărat pe Dumnezeu, am fi preocupați de ceeea ce Îl preocupă pe El. Când iubim o anumită persoană, ne dorim să fim cu ea.” (p.52) - ne străduim să îi fim pe plac, aș adăuga.
”Hristos are puterea de a ierta deoarece El este victima a tot răul din lume” (p.61)
Există și alte abordări ale neputințelor și imperfecțiunilor noastre în Biserica lui Hristos pe care mitropolitul Surojului le tratează și le detaliază cu un claritate duhovnicească remarcabilă, într-o surprinzătoare prospețime a interpretării. Se vorbește dspre judecata universală, despre Duhul ca mângâietor, neputința de a rosti asumat Crezul sau Tatăl nostru.
Nu e neapărat o lectură ușoară și mă așteptam -poate- la altceva. Poate anumite studii de caz sau soluții ”de manual”. Mitropolitul doar zugrăvește realitățile și ne lasă de obicei pe noi să ne dăm răspunsuri (din aceste motive și lipsește o stea).
Cu toate acestea, per ansamblu cartea merita citita.
”Ar trebui să ne hotărâm să încetăm a mai rosti rugăciunile sfinților pe care îi slăvim, dar nu îi imităm, care ne mișcă emoțional, dar nu spre o viață nouă”. (p.15)
”Suntem imperfecți în două moduri diferite: putem fi imprefecți în timp ce ne străduim să mergem spre Dumnezeu sau putem fi imperfecți în timp ce ne îndepătăm de Dumnezeu” (p.20)
Lașitatea noastră ca vestitori ai luminii este descrisă foarte corect ”Dumnezeu ne spune să ieșim în lume pentru a pune în lucrare mântuirea Lui. Însă noi alergăm înapoi ca să ne ascundem sub mantia Lui ... Aproape că Îi spunem: mori pentru mine. Mie îmi este frică să mor atât pentru mine, cât și pentru aproapele meu, chiar și pentru Tine.” (p.21)
”Fii puternic cu puterea lui Dumnezeu, nu cu puterea ta omenească neînsemnată” (p.50)
”Dacă L-am iubi cu adevărat pe Dumnezeu, am fi preocupați de ceeea ce Îl preocupă pe El. Când iubim o anumită persoană, ne dorim să fim cu ea.” (p.52) - ne străduim să îi fim pe plac, aș adăuga.
”Hristos are puterea de a ierta deoarece El este victima a tot răul din lume” (p.61)
Există și alte abordări ale neputințelor și imperfecțiunilor noastre în Biserica lui Hristos pe care mitropolitul Surojului le tratează și le detaliază cu un claritate duhovnicească remarcabilă, într-o surprinzătoare prospețime a interpretării. Se vorbește dspre judecata universală, despre Duhul ca mângâietor, neputința de a rosti asumat Crezul sau Tatăl nostru.
Nu e neapărat o lectură ușoară și mă așteptam -poate- la altceva. Poate anumite studii de caz sau soluții ”de manual”. Mitropolitul doar zugrăvește realitățile și ne lasă de obicei pe noi să ne dăm răspunsuri (din aceste motive și lipsește o stea).
Cu toate acestea, per ansamblu cartea merita citita.
June 6, 2020
It's been awhile since I read metropolitan Anthony's books, so I probably shouldn't compare this to his other books but this seems like one of the best of his that I've ever read. This seems like a book very well written for modern readers addressing modern problems and modern perceptions about God. I highly recommend this book for all readers not just Orthodox Christians.
February 14, 2021
He writes about the true search for God, the true search for being a Christian: finding God (and finding a relationship with God) in both others and myself.
May 11, 2021
A challenge has been given
"I have told several of you on occasion the story of a man in his twenties who came to confession to Father Alexander Elchaninov at one of the Russian Student Christian Movement conferences. He had been an officer during the First World War, during the Civil War; he had become a hardened man, and he said to Father Alexander: “I can confess all my sins before you, but a thing I cannot do is to feel sorry for them. My heart is of stone. I can give you a list of them, tell you that intellectually I reject them, but that is all I can do.” And Father Alexander said: “No, don’t do that. It will be no use, because unless your heart breaks, unless your heart melts, your confession will give no fruits. I will tell you what to do. When all the conference is gathered together for the Liturgy, before the service begins you’ll come forward and you will make your confession in the presence of all those who have gathered here. This is your salvation.” And the man accepted the challenge. And before the liturgy he came out and explained what he was about to do. And he began to speak. What he expected was to see people recoil in horror, turn away in disgust, look with coldness. What he saw was people who looked at him with all the compassion they were capable of, all the admiration they had for a man who for the sake of integrity and resurrection, his own, could speak such truth in their presence. And seeing these open hearts, seeing the way he was listened to with reverence, with awe, he burst into tears, and he could make his confession, and his heart melted."
No words.
"I have told several of you on occasion the story of a man in his twenties who came to confession to Father Alexander Elchaninov at one of the Russian Student Christian Movement conferences. He had been an officer during the First World War, during the Civil War; he had become a hardened man, and he said to Father Alexander: “I can confess all my sins before you, but a thing I cannot do is to feel sorry for them. My heart is of stone. I can give you a list of them, tell you that intellectually I reject them, but that is all I can do.” And Father Alexander said: “No, don’t do that. It will be no use, because unless your heart breaks, unless your heart melts, your confession will give no fruits. I will tell you what to do. When all the conference is gathered together for the Liturgy, before the service begins you’ll come forward and you will make your confession in the presence of all those who have gathered here. This is your salvation.” And the man accepted the challenge. And before the liturgy he came out and explained what he was about to do. And he began to speak. What he expected was to see people recoil in horror, turn away in disgust, look with coldness. What he saw was people who looked at him with all the compassion they were capable of, all the admiration they had for a man who for the sake of integrity and resurrection, his own, could speak such truth in their presence. And seeing these open hearts, seeing the way he was listened to with reverence, with awe, he burst into tears, and he could make his confession, and his heart melted."
No words.
January 16, 2024
Traditions, feast, fasts, and liturgical prayers: all of these are essential pillars to the orthodox faith. One might find themselves in church and part of the Orthodox community several times a week. this book challenges the reader to self reflect and examine their faith with Christ behind closed doors, when no one is watching.
Churchanity vs Christianity is a great challenge to believers to examine their personal relationship with Christ.
Churchanity vs Christianity is a great challenge to believers to examine their personal relationship with Christ.
September 14, 2024
I read metropolitan Antony Bloom all available books, it sheds a completely different light on the meaning of Christ teaching, and it touches you deeply. Unfortunately not all his books are available.
March 25, 2025
Brevity and Wisdom
A short but impactful read. Many contemporary authors would have stretched these insights into a tedious and redundant tome. I am grateful this author was clear and direct.
A short but impactful read. Many contemporary authors would have stretched these insights into a tedious and redundant tome. I am grateful this author was clear and direct.
October 22, 2024
A gem of a book. A series of 9 talks, all interrelated, on how to live the full Life in Christ, challenging and hopeful.
A must-read
A must-read
July 2, 2025
I've really enjoyed this book and the insights found in it. It's definitely worth a read since it contains some really good christian knowledge that helps with the christian walk.
"And so grace is gratuitously given. It must be shared with the same gratuity, the same generosity that God shows in giving it."
"And so grace is gratuitously given. It must be shared with the same gratuity, the same generosity that God shows in giving it."
November 7, 2017
I really enjoyed Metropolitan Anthony's early writings (I think from the early 70's), but then he seemed to stop publishing. This book does represent a more mature Metropolitan Anthony, but the tone is much the same as the early writings. It didn't have the freshness of his early works, but a good read anyway.
April 2, 2024
A treasure!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews