By John Sanidopoulos St. John Chrysostom probably more than any other Father of the Church speaks about the "wrath of God" and "divine punishment". Most who read these passages often do so through the lenses of western medieval or reformation theology, even many Orthodox Christians, who are unable … [Read more...]
Praying with Incense and the Wrath of God
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon Having determined that repentant prayer alone turns away the divine wrath, we should also consider two ritual gestures in which such prayer may be expressed: the offering of incense and the devout raising of the hands. Since Holy Scripture regards both these … [Read more...]
Sinners in the Hand of a ‘Less Angry’ God
by Fr. Patrick Henry Reardon The Church has always thought of God's wrath as a metaphor descriptive of His "negative response" to sin. The expression signifies the metaphysical incompatibility of moral evil with the Font of goodness. When the Bible, then, speaks of God’s anger, it indicates His … [Read more...]