Theo day 4

13 November 2008

Today in class we spent the class period having our questions answered. It was a very interesting and enlightening class. We had many different questions on many different subjects.
We talked about the Greek Orthodox social outreach programs. There is a wide variety of social outreach programs supported by the churches in Greece. Members and clergy of the church visit the imprisoned and help them out. Sometimes they help to pay small fines so that people can be released from prison.
The church also helps people who are homeless by trying to find places for them to sleep and providing hot meals for the cities homeless. Father Stefanos related a story of how there is a woman near his church who is homeless. The church and municipality have tried to provide a bed for her at a shelter but she stays at these places for a few days and then leaves. He says the community knows her and watch out for her.
After listening to the programs it seems to me the Greek Orthodox church is very good at carrying out Jesus' wishes of serving the poor. It reminds me of the beatitudes. I think it is great that the church is so active in the community and this is something I wish my church would do.
We also learned that when a person is baptized in the orthodox faith they are usually baptized before the age of 18 months. Baptism for them is baptism and confirmation all in one. The child is able to take communion the next Sunday. Father Stefanos explained that the reason the Catholic church has the separation between baptism and confirmation comes from the middle ages. Bishops were the only ones who were allowed to confirm members into the church. Bishops were responsible for great areas of land so sometimes people would have to wait years to be confirmed. I am conflicted as to my thoughts on baptism/confirmation. I like the way the Catholic church confirms its' members. Making members wait until they are 16 or 17 allows them to learn about the faith. Confirmation to me is when an individual affirms that he/she wants to join the church.
We also talked about prayer beads. Father Stefanos said they are similar to a rosary. There are not different prayers for it, but only the one. I thought this was interesting and another similarity between the churches.
We also talked about the feast of the immaculate conception. Catholics believe that Mary was immaculately conceived but the eastern church does not believe this. I don't know what I believe in this matter. Regardless of whether or not Mary was conceived immaculately she is still a very important person for our faith.
We talked about the differences between greek and latin crosses. They are essentially different ways of portraying the cross and one isn't more correct than the other. He also showed us crosses from other countries. I didn't know there was so much variety.
One of our members asked if father Stefanos has ever questioned the existence of God. He said he has hard times in his life like everyone and that he has struggled with his faith. I took some small measure of comfort from this. If a priest sometimes struggles with faith then it is no wonder that I do too sometimes.
We also learned about the church's teaching about homosexuality. The church believes that men were meant for women and vice-versa. However, there is an unofficial recognition that homosexuality is present. Father Stefanos said it is an issue that is usually dealt with on an individual basis.
After class my head was nearly spinning because of all the things we learned about. I really enjoyed class. Everyone had good questions and I learned a lot.

Theo day 3

sorry to dissapoint. I haevn't got anything fun and exciting to read for you... just more theo homework. I haev been very busy lately going to class, doing homework and writing... it is my life which I love but more free time might be nice too! Without further adjo- learn abour greek orthodox churches... somewhat informative-

1 November 2008

We began our class today by taking the trolley to the end of the line. It was a bit anxious at first as we had all just bade farewell to our director, John Hasselberg. We were greeted by our professor at the trolley stop and proceeded into the cathedral. The cathedral is 150 years old and beautifully decorated. We saw all of the iconography and it was very beautiful. I thought it very interesting that in the Greek Orthodox churches there are very few statues because of the confusion there was in the past between venerating and idolatry. There are many icons in the church. Jesus and St. John are always on the right side and Mary and the patron saint of the church is on the left. Father Stefanos showed us how to properly cross yourself. This consists of putting your thumb together with your index and middle fingers. The three fingers together represent the trinity and the two fingers apart represent the duality of Christ.

I thought this was really neat. Also Greek orthodox Christians sign themselves in the opposite direction as Roman Catholics. Father Stefanos explained that he thinks this is mostly a difference in how people see the blessing by the priest. Greek Orthodox Christians mirror the priest and Roman Catholics do as the priest does. I thought this was very interesting and perhaps symbolic in that there is a difference in perception between the two churches. This is a visible difference between the churches and is somewhat representative of the schism between the two churches. In my opinion there isn't a right or wrong answer to the question how should one cross themselves which might be one way to look at the differences between the churches. Neither one of them is wrong. They just have different ways of expressing their faith. I am sure there are many other instances which may counter this, but in essence I don't think that there is such a big divide between the churches. I remember from a previous class that some eastern churches have joined in communion with Rome which gives me hope that eventually the schism can be healed and we can all take communion together.

Father Stefanos also showed us the vestments he uses and they were similar to catholic vestments but a little different. It was interesting to know that unlike catholic priests orthodox priests generally don't wear different colors for the different liturgical times.

The most interesting part of class was when Father Stefanos showed us how the Eucharist is prepared. Leavened bread is used and only the middle is consecrated. It is stamped with a seal and people in the church bake the bread for church. I thought it was nice that the community is involved in the making of the bread and the priest is involved in the consecration. The rest of the bread is cut up except for small portions that represent the bishop, the virgin Mary, the living, and the dead. The extra bread is set out so that people can take it as they leave church. I think this is nice.

One of the things I liked least about the church is the iconography screen that separates the altar from the people. To me it seems like it puts distance between God and the people and I don't think there needs to be. I know catholics also have the tabernacle and used to have the screen, but I think the screen implies separation and separation is not what people want or what God wants.

Our class continued to a small church that was the old church for the community. It was very small and a stark contrast to the big new church where we went afterwards. The big new church is also beautifully decorated. It is not finished yet but it is nonetheless beautiful. It is amazing how the community has grown.

The class made me think about the differences between catholic churches and the eastern churches. Without a doubt there are differences but these differences are not so big as they can keep us apart for ever. The schism will heal.

Theo day 2

ok... I am not fooling anyone... this is an assignment for my theo class and I want it to be saved somewhere other than the computer in case it crashes... but maybe you learn something anyways... skip to the greek bus adventures if your not interested. i am off to Delphi tomorrow morning. Exciting!

We began class today talking about the books of the bible. More specifically the books of the New Testament. Sadly, I must say I was rather ignorant of the whole subject. We learned that the New Testament came into formation between around 50 AD – about 200 AD. With the book of Revelation as the last book written. The early churches would write to each other and compare letters they had received from the apostles. Hence, why we have Paul's letters to different early Christian communities.

We then learned about Justin Martyr. He was a philosopher who converted to Christianity. He wrote an apology to the emperor in 150 AD. An apology is a formal defense of a subject. Plato also wrote an apology defending Socrates. Justin Martyr gave the emperor an outline of how Christians worship. This is the first complete outline of Christian worship we have.

In his letter he tells that Christians gather on Sunday. At the beginning of the service the bishop gives a blessing. Then there are the readings from the Old Testament and the letters of Paul. Then there is a homily. Then the gifts are brought in and the presider prays over the gifts. The gifts are distributed and a collection is taken up. Finally, the deacons take communion to the homebound. When I heard this I was astonished to see how similar church services are today. It is interesting to think that in many ways we still celebrate mass the same way the earliest Christians did.

Then we talked about the ecumenical councils. They were essentially councils of representatives of all the Christian churches in the known world. At these councils matters of faith were discussed, debated, and decided upon.

One of the controversies was over the veneration of icons. The result of this was to confirm that it was ok for Christians to venerate icons, but not to worship them. It is like looking at photographs of loved ones. You venerate them, you don't worship them when you miss them.

This made me think a lot about who I admire and why. This is probably off topic, but this is supposed to be about what I thought about class. It seems to me that I am most reluctant to admire people. I think it is probably a defense mechanism. How often have we grown up with heroes only to have them fall from grace. But who can never let you down? God. So I admire God , so much so that you could say I worship him. And luckily enough that is ok, at least by my church:)

We talked a lot in class about the holy trinity. I am ashamed to admit it but I am 21 years old and I still don't really understand the trinity. I get the whole Father and son part. But the holy spirit is something intangible that I struggle greatly with. What is the holy spirit? I know it descended upon the apostles and people receive it at baptism... but what is is? I will have to think about it and ask friends, family and my teachers.

We continued our class talking about the great schism between the eastern and western churches. It is sad that this happened. Essentially it really occurred when the crusaders sacked Constantinople in 1204. It is such a pity that this has happened. There was no reason for the crusaders to sack Constantinople and the result that they did has caused much animosity between the churches. So much so that it is really only the last 50 years or so when real talk of reconciliation has begun. I don't pretend to know if reconciliation will occur but I think that it can.

It was another class that made me think and I think that the rest will too. I find myself always leaving with more questions than answers, but the questions don't come until after I have left the classroom.

Out of luck...?

OK, so those of you who are interested in continuity and chronology don't read any further.

My blog begins the morning of the 5th November 2008. It was a nice and sunny morning with a nice temperature. I arrive very early to the archeology museum for my art history class. Class goes smoothly if not slowly. We learn a little about pottery and marble sculptures.

Then the adventure really begins. On our way out of the museum I find out that one of the girls in our group got fined 48 euros because she hadn't validated her ticket. I walk confidentally to the bus and validate my ticket and sit down. The bus ride isn't long and I am having a good time talking about how good McDonald's is sometimes. When suddenly out of nowhere a dark clad figure enters teh bus and demands to see our bus tickets. I pull mine out and he asks me for my passport. I scratch my head wondering why he needs to see that. Then it dawns on me something isn't right with my ticekt. So I dig through my tickets and try to see if I had given him the other one. I find it and pull it out. He says no it is wrong. I start to panic because I am at my stop. He pulls out a piece of paper and starts to take down my information.

Oh no this isn't good. I try to explain to him that there is something wrong and that I hadn't done anything wrong. He doesn't care. He doesn't speak English. I pay him the 48 euro that he is demanding and he finally lets me off the trolley (* note it was a trolley not actually a bus). I am somewhere in Athens... Lost... and I am shaking with rage because there is no way in H that I deserve this ticket. And to top it all off now I am lost. I consider calling home right then and there and telling them I want to go home right now. That I hate Greece and Greek people, but I wait a little while. It is like 4 in the morning there. oh... btw I had asked repeatedly if there was someone I could talk to about the ticket and of course this dark clad figure doesn't speak english and says nothing. I look at the ticket figuring it will say something in english as to where i can go. But no it is totally Greek to me!.

I go to CYA and ask them if they can help. They told me I had validated my ticket twice and that is why I had got the ticket. I show them the ticket and my other ticket and tell them there is no way I could have used that ticket because I had never used the trolley before. I was sold a used ticket at the kiosk. That was sweet. So I am super pissed and talking to the councilors at CYA and they are to say the least unsympathetic. They take one look at the ticket and tell me I am out of luck. I unfrotunately slip into the I'm from America and in America this would never happen. I say that it was the first time I had used the trolley and that wouldn't it be nice if they had some compassion.

They don't think it is necessary. But they tell me to go to syntagma square and ask them there. I go there and they tell me I have to go to another place so I have to take the subway 5 stops away to a place called Attaki and find my way from there. I have to ask many people for directions because I find greek people will send you in the right direction (sometimes) and that's about it. So Finally I get to where I am supposed to and they don't speak English there except to tell me to come back between 8 and 2 tomorrow. Great there goes 3 hours of my life that I will never have back and on top of that I missed Lit class which I am not officially in yet...

So I wake up this morning with a mission. I go do laundry, eat breakfeast, check to see if Coleman really won or not and head to the place where I was told to go yesterday. I get there and they tell me that the place I am going to is for if I was going to pay and since I already did that they tell me to go to another place... in very poor english and I get very confused. I have to go back again for directions. They tell me to take the number 6 trolley to the end. I do and the bus driver yells at me and tells me to go the other direction. I do and then the bus driver yells at me to go the other direction. They think I want to go pay my ticket. I don't. Finally, a kind Greek man takes pity on me and translates for me. He writes down the station I am supposed to go to and points me to the right trolley. I get on and ask the bus driver. He tells me to go back to where I came from. The place where I had tried several times... I tell him I want to go to the address on the ticket and he says nothing. The entire time I am thinking that he will get to the end and be like this is the end where are you going. And the time is flying by. I have a class at 2:00 and it is 1:30. So much for lunch. I get to the place and there is a crabby greek man who immediately doesn't like me and makes that known. He tells me in poor English that I am out of luck. He gets a nice greek woman to translate and she agrees with me that I should get my money back. But says there is nothing that they can do. So she tells me to go to yet another place to try and get my money back. Great another place... thats like the 6^th I have tried. So I leave and try to find a trolley number 6 to go to the national museum to try and find this place that might give me my money back. On my way out a kind greek man tries to help me but says to me sprichts du deutsch? And I say I am better at English. And then he calls his coworker over to him. His coworker says he will help me out and leads me to the bus stop. He talks with other bus drivers and then invites me on board. He is probably a greek rock god that drives bus for fun. He reminds me of Daniel from Sweden because he is nice and cool. So the time flies by and I get nervous. I am going to miss history. Great I miss 2 classes to get 38 euros back.

I get to the national museum which just so happens to be the archeaological museum whose fault it was that I got into this mess anyways... symbolical...

And I am told that I should go behind the museum and it is there. I do and I go to number 15 and I am told I am in totally wrong place. So I wander around trying to find this place... I see a post office and feel as though I am saved. I go in and show them the piece of paper that I am given with the address. They tell me to wait a minute and a girl who is just getting off work tells me she will take me to the place. She does. She takes me exactly to the place... see this is whay should happen when your lost. Some kind soul should take you exactly where you want to go. I know it is inconvenient but it is so nice for the lost person. So I go in and talk to the security guard who clearly enjoys his job lording the authority he has over everyone he can. I tell him I want to talk to someone about my ticket. He tells me to come back tomorrow at 1:00. and I am like is there no one I can talk to because I have tried to sort this out for 2 days and I am leaving tomorrow. And he tells me I am out of luck... a common phrase here I guess. But by the grace of god this american greek hears me and comes and asks if he can help. I ask him about the ticket. He asks me who did you vote for? I think quickly and say Obama. He smiles and says it doesn't matter and he would have helped me anyways. He has his secretary take me over and personally show me where to go. Again with the showing me exactly where to go. I like that. So I go there and have the run around with random greek men gesticulating at my paper and my ticket saying something to the effect of why are we going to give him his money back...

in the end I got my money back. So I try to take a trolley back but I get on the wrong one and decide to walk back. I get back at 3:30 and all my classmates are out of class. They finished early and it was a pointless class. Yay, I didn't miss anything. So I eat lunch which they thankfully give to me even though they shouldn't have. I go to theology, and now here I am reciting this beautiful prose to you.

The adventure begins

4 November 2008

Ok so the real date is September 8-9 2008. The setting is alternatively the MSP airport, Amsterdam and Rome... this is what I wrote in my journal about my first 2 days...

Before I left for the airport I sens some last second e-mails to my friends and said my goodbyes to my family. I am off again for an adventure that will last several months and take me to several places. I am off to Rome and Greece and will have adventures that I am sure I can't even fathom yet. I am eager to see the foundations of western civilization but know that I will miss friends and family dearly.

Before I left my dear sweet wonderful dog Buddy felt like being ever so helpful. He snuck into my suitcase and stole my black socks. He was hiding hem under him under the dining room table trying desperately to be invisible so mom wouldn't find him all the while secretly knowing I wouldn't be able to go to europe without black socks. For afterall, if I ddin't have my black socks I would be able to take him on his favorite walk and maybe we would walk to the gas station but lottery tickets and win millions which would of course be spent on him because after all without him I would never have won. Right Bud? Anyways, luckily, mom found them in time because wouldn't it be embarassing to get all the way to europe after 8 hours of flying only to be told I wasn't allowed in because my scheming dog had stolen my black socks? Sorry Bud but I was supposed to go to europe and mom was supposed to get my socks back for me. I miss you terribly little Buddy.

I said my goodbyes to Jim and headed to the airport. Unfortunately, Jenna has this thing called a job so she was unable to see me off, but maybe it is for the best. I have this annoying habit of pretending that traveling isn't a big deal and that I won't get homesick but in reality it is just an act. I know of course I will miss everyone desperately, even Jenna, even when she thinks she is being funny:) jk Jenna miss you already! So yea good byes are hard because it is always hard to say good bye to someone for a period of months. But luckly it is only for a few months this time. Right mom? Mom and I went to the airport and we met up with Dad. We then went to Ikea to have some nummy swedish food. I left my mom at the security checkpoint and I am not going to lie and say it was not a big deal. I said good bye to her and she was strong and didn't cry this time. Which was good because then I didn't cry either. So I looked resolutely forwward knowing that my composure would collapse the moment I looked back and took off my tennis shoes to prove that I wasn't going to try anything tricky.

I got through security without a problem. James McMillan surprised me in the lounge. He is going to Ireland and was on my flight. There was also a girl going on the Greco-Roman trip. Small world.

Dad came to see me off because he was working and had the time to see me off. I didn't have a ticket for a very long time actually untiul 10 minutes after boarding or at least it seemed this way. I sat next to a Ukraninan man who didn't say 1 word to me and in back of a british man who reclined his seat the entire time! I hate Brits! The flight was long and I watched THE HAPPENING and ANALYZE THAT. Not the best movies...I arrived in Amsterdam at 10:35. I was hoping to catch up to the Katies because there flight was at 10:50, but they left a little early so I missed them.

The vikings were playing when I left and I just saw the news a depressing 14-24 loss to the packers... I have about 6 hours to wait here in Amsterdam. The weather is clear and sunny. I changed my dollars for euros and feel a little sick. The exchange rate isn't good. The gate I am waiting at has people going to Madrid. I hear Spanish and can understand. The next flight now is to iceland and I can kinda understand the people. There is a scottish soccer team next to me and I can't understand a word they say...

I got into the airport at 7:00 and got to the train station at 7:30 and was about to buy my ticket which would have gotten me on the train immediately when a pushy Italian woman cut in line. Welcome to Italy! I took the next train and was met by John. I waited and finally got to my apartment at 11:30. I went to sleep right away vaguely aware that I had been awake for something like 30 hours... Tomorrow we go on a walking tour of Rome.

theo thoughts

I know what you are thinking. Finally! But i hate to dissapoint his is just my theo homework and some random thoughts. I have so much to type we will see how much i get done... anyways I am new at this whole blogging thing so forgive me. Without further adjo- my random thoughts from theology.

hopefully soon to follow will be roman and greek adventrues...

Hugs and kisses- me

4 November 2008

I was quite surprised when we began class today by taking a political poll to see how our votes stack up against what will happen in America tonight. We are taught from an early age that there is a separation of church and state in America and I found it somewhat ironical that we were talking politics. So we had a poll and it was closer than I thought, but in the end Obama won. Professor Stefanos told us about the importance of voting in Greece and how it is actually required by Greek law. It made me think about why people vote or don't vote. Which is a strange topic for a theology of the eastern church course. But more and more I find myself seeing that things are more and more connected. As Professor Stefanos says if America sneezes the whole world feels it. So maybe there isn't such a huge wall between religion and politics as I might have thought.

In class we learned a lot about the history of the eastern church. To be perfectly honest I had no idea as to the geographical range of the eastern church. We learned that Assyrian missionaries went all the way to China to spread the good news. We learned that the apostles didn't go just west to spread the news, but went south and east too. Mark is reported to have gone to Egypt and Andrew is said to have gone to Byzantium. Thomas went to India and Peter and Paul went to Rome. But what does it mean? The message that was to become the religion known today as Christianity was so appealing and so powerful that it spread in a relatively short time throughout the known world. I try to imagine exactly why this is and I could pretend to understand but I don't really. But, I will work on it.

We also began to learn about the 5 great centers of Christianity. Rome was the first among equals until the schism between the eastern and western churches. Then, it was Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, and Jerusalem. I thought it was interesting to learn this because I never really learned that these cities were bastions of Christianity.

We learned of the variety of sects in the eastern churches. Including the Greek orthodox, Coptic, Chaldean and more. Professor Stefanos stressed to us the importance of protecting Christians where ever they are and called our attention to the Palestinian Christians and the Chaldeans in Iraq. This was somewhat confusing to me because it seemed to suggest that the duty of Christians everywhere is to protect Christians everywhere. I see the value in this, but I think it is better to not get into situations where people need to have to save others. And limiting the “saving” of people to Christians is problematic. But, I am sure this is not what our professor was saying. So now we are back to politics and religion and how they seem to be separated but they are not.

I thought the class was very interesting and it made me think. I don't agree with everything that was said but then again who ever agrees 100 percent. It made me think and that is what is important.