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The beauty of woman is the greatest snare. Or rather, not the beauty of woman, but unchastened gazing! For we should not accuse the objects, but ourselves, and our own carelessness. Nor should we say, Let there be no women, but Let there be no adulteries. We should not say, Let there be no beauty, but Let there be no fornication. We should not say, Let there be no belly, but let there be no gluttony; for the belly makes not the gluttony, but our negligence. We should not say, that it is because of eating and drinking that all these evils exist; for it is not because of this, but because of our carelessness and insatiableness. Thus the devil neither ate nor drank, and yet he fell! Paul ate and drank, and ascended up to heaven!

St John Chrysostom - Homily 15 on the Statues

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The Enemy conspired with the Image, To corrupt the incorruptible, To destroy the indestructible, To tear in two the indivisible.

Life was slain, And all creation cried out in mourning. He entered the grave— But no claim could be laid.

The gates crumbled into rubble, The squire cast into the fire, The strongman’s house was plundered, And the keys wrestled from his grasp.

Death took a bite out of Life— But Death was the one consumed.

Now every captive is set free, Every sickness is healed, Every tear is dried, For the Son of God Has come to ransom His people.

On high, The Prince of Peace ascends, To lead those long held in slavery By fear of death— Into His everlasting rest.

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When the Enemy disfigures Beauty, Beauty does not lose its power. But rather, the very image of suffering and pain is transfigured into something that brings tears to the eyes and catches the throat with awe too deep to speak.

The crown of blood, the pierced hands and feet, the side forever scarred by human evil.

Before such love, even the proudest knees bend.

In this, the Creator has revealed His truest self— with arms outstretched to all people, He clothes those who wear the pains of this life on their skin with garments of light.

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When the thorns and thistles, That rose out of the ground To destroy mankind,— Crown the Son of Man with blood.

This is His coronation.

The King of Kings, And Lord of Lords, Is crowned with glory and honor, By the very ground Cursed by human evil.

This act, Purposed to bring shame and humiliation, Is weaved into something triumphant.

For when Shame, Who brought mankind low, Comes face to face with Glory—

It is not Glory that is dimmed, But rather it is the humble That are lifted up To reign with Him—

Who has authority over all things.

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Why is giving one's self to God unto death the greatest defeat of sin? Sinful desires in their most basic forms shout at us "I must have this or else I will die," or "take this from me or else I will die." Sin blossoms under fear of death. In facing this fear head on, and offering our very lives to God, Sin is rendered powerless.

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Located near Antalya, Turkey, the Aspendos Theater is widely celebrated as one of the most remarkably preserved Roman theaters in existence. Constructed around 155 AD during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius by the architect Zeno, the theater could originally accommodate between 15,000 and 20,000 spectators. Its semi-circular design, meticulous stonework, and strategic placement against the Taurus Mountains underscore the engineering prowess of the Roman Empire.

What sets Aspendos apart is its extraordinary acoustics. The theater was designed with such precision that even the faintest sound from the stage can be heard clearly at the uppermost rows. The architectural layout includes a nearly intact two-story stage building (scaenae frons), adorned with Corinthian columns, statues, and elaborate reliefs, which reflect the grandeur and ceremonial richness of Roman public spaces.

Aspendos served as a venue for dramas, musical performances, and gladiatorial games, and it continues to be a cultural hub today. Unlike many ancient theaters that fell into disrepair, Aspendos has been well maintained and is still used for modern performances, including opera and ballet festivals. Its enduring presence makes it a powerful symbol of Roman legacy in Anatolia and a testament to classical artistry that continues to captivate visitors.

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After the telling of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, Jesus asks the lawyer (at Lk 10:36), "Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?" Jesus is not posing the same question that the lawyer asked. Jesus asks who was a neighbor to the man?

Jesus isn't interested in our narrow definitions of who does or does not deserve to be called my neighbor. He instead places the responsibility upon myself. To ask "Who is my neighbor?" is to entirely ask the wrong question. Jesus reframes the question so that our obligation to whom we meet is not dependent upon any predetermined category. Rather, it is I that must be neighbor to whom I encounter and not the other way around.

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hope is a skill

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Let’s talk about the long and often overlooked history of Christian protest — because it didn’t start in the 1960s, and it definitely didn’t end there either.

It begins with Jesus.

Jesus didn’t just preach love—he practiced resistance. Not passive submission, but a deep, active nonviolence that challenged empire, religious hypocrisy, and social injustice.

He refused to meet violence with violence.

He flipped tables, not people.

He told his followers to turn the other cheek—not out of weakness, but as a form of nonviolent confrontation that exposed injustice.

When facing Pilate, he said: “My kingdom is not of this world”—a political statement rejecting the authority of empire, while refusing to stoop to its tools.

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One of the great tragedies of Christianity this past millennium is that it has been boiled down to "what needs to happen for me to go to heaven, and how do I avoid hell."

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I'm obsessed with the way different architectural styles reflect different aspects of God.

Like, gothic? The spires and the stained glass and the pointed arches? The gargoyles on the outside of churches, signifying that the demons can't enter into a sacred space? It's grand, almost foreboding. It sings in the piercing, ethereal song of the dryads of old, "He is not safe, but He is good."

And then there is romanesque, and it is God as fortress, God as bulwark. Round arches, heavy stones. Sturdy, safety, support. It sings in low Gregorian chant, "God is my strong tower, my refuge."

And then there is Baroque. And your breath stalls in your throat, and your heart does something strange because, oh—oh this must be what heaven looks like. It's dazzling, marvelous, almost a dream. And its song is not in words because there are no words to express it except "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus." But its chorus is celestial all the same. It is God as Divine Beauty, the source from which all beauty flows.

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Not to start anything but I have a question for fellow Christians:

What is your opinion on Reformed Theology?

I want your opinions, not a thesis defense please. I’m not asking to be persuaded, I just wanna hear what you all think :)

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i'm trying to make a little bible study handout about atonement theories and it's interesting how many websites about penal substitutionary atonement are like 'this verse obviously supports PSA' but it's like.

all it does is support an idea of Jesus as a sacrifice for sin. which is like the core of any atonement theory.

im not even anti PSA but i feel like it is mostly predicated on isaiah 53, OT sacrificial animals esp the day of atonement, and a kind of logical reasoning of 'God is just and merciful'. it is not that evident in a lot of NT passages

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An Easter Sermon from St. John Chrysostom

Is there anyone who is a devout lover of God? Let them enjoy this beautiful bright festival! Is there anyone who is a grateful servant? Let them rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Are there any weary with fasting? Let them now receive their wages! If any have toiled from the first hour, let them receive their due reward; If any have come after the third hour, let him with gratitude join in the Feast! And he that arrived after the sixth hour, let him not doubt; for he too shall sustain no loss. And if any delayed until the ninth hour, let him not hesitate; but let him come too. And he who arrived only at the eleventh hour, let him not be afraid by reason of his delay.

For the Lord is gracious and receives the last even as the first. He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that toiled from the first. To this one He gives, and upon another He bestows. He accepts the works as He greets the endeavor. The deed He honors and the intention He commends.

Let us all enter into the joy of the Lord! First and last alike receive your reward; rich and poor, rejoice together! Sober and slothful, celebrate the day!

You that have kept the fast, and you that have not, rejoice today for the Table is richly laden! Feast royally on it, the calf is a fatted one. Let no one go away hungry. Partake, all, of the cup of faith. Enjoy all the riches of His goodness!

Let no one grieve at his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one mourn that he has fallen again and again; for forgiveness has risen from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Death of our Savior has set us free. He has destroyed it by enduring it.

He destroyed Hades when He descended into it. He put it into an uproar even as it tasted of His flesh. Isaias foretold this when he said, "You, O Hell, have been troubled by encountering Him below."

Hell was in an uproar because it was done away with. It was in an uproar because it is mocked. It was in an uproar, for it is destroyed. It is in an uproar, for it is annihilated. It is in an uproar, for it is now made captive. Hell took a body, and discovered God. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took what it saw, and was overcome by what it did not see. O death, where is thy sting? O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is Risen, and you, O death, are annihilated! Christ is Risen, and the evil ones are cast down! Christ is Risen, and the angels rejoice! Christ is Risen, and life is liberated! Christ is Risen, and the tomb is emptied of its dead; for Christ having risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

To Him be Glory and Power forever and ever. Amen!

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Finally have all 4 life stages let's gooo

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Aslan being voiced by a woman is fine I don't really care

- sincerely, a Christian.