Pemptousia
Contemporary post-modern man does understand what man is. Through its presence in the internet world, Pemptousia, with its spirit of respect for beauty that characterizes it, wishes to contribute to the presentation of a better meaning of life for man, to the search for the ontological dimension of man, and to the awareness of the unfathomable mystery of man who is always in Christ in the process of becoming, of man who is in the image of divine beauty. And the beauty of man springs from the beauty of the Triune God. In the end, “beauty will save the world”.
The triptych Culture – Science – Religion in Pemptousia
The ancient Greeks, having escaped from the coercion of hunger and insecurity my means of social organization, became occupied with culture, art and letters. Within culture they realized the meaning of interior spiritual cultivation. The search for truth as an absolute existential reality was very intense in the ancient Greeks. This then is why they had fashioned an altar to “the unknown God”.
The incarnation of God the Word found fertile ground in man’s proclivity to beauty, to goodness, to truth and to the eternal. Orthodoxy has not functioned as some religion or sect. It was not the movement of the human spirit towards God but the revelation of the true God, Jesus Christ, to man. A basic precept of Orthodoxy is that of the person – the personhood of God and of man. God is a Trinity of persons – persons with a common essence but distinct and unique characteristics. Man, who is in the image of God, is distinct and unique as a person. Consequently, Orthodoxy does not marginalize man. It hopes for true unity and worldwide brotherhood for the human race and offers to provide it. It has not consumed ethnic groups; it has not clumped everyone into one mass; rather it contributes to the preservation of the particular cultural identity of every ethnic group.
Orthodoxy has engendered culture, contributed to the development of the arts, music, painting, literature, poetry, architecture, and more, within a theanthropic framework.
Orthodoxy has fostered the advancement of the sciences; it has never been at variance with science, because within the Orthodox Tradition the discernment of both created and uncreated knowledge is experienced. The scholastic theologians of the West developed a uniform methodology for approaching both the created and uncreated, whereas the Fathers of the Orthodox East followed a dual methodology. Saint Gregory Palamas especially rejected the dialectic method for understanding the divine. They accepted it, however, for the sciences and for the expression of dogmas with concepts formulated through the dialectic method itself.
The sciences have the knowledge of substances and the function of entities as their work, whereas Orthodox theology offers man the empirical knowledge of the uncreated God, the Creator of beings and communion with the divine energies.
The sciences are occupied with “how”; Orthodox theology with “whom” and “why”.
The sciences offer man knowledge that is continually developing and evolving, whereas Orthodox theology offers the authentic way of existence for the human entity and his union with God, and the living experience of the uncreated Divine Grace.
Bogoslov.ru
It was created with the blessing of Alexiy II, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus’. The chief editor of the site is Protopresbyter Pavel Velikanov, Associate Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy. All the material on the site has been distributed among various sections: bibliography, news, encyclopaedia and research/reflections. Apart from Russian, the portal also offers English, German, Spanish and Greek editions. In, 2010 the Bogoslov.ru portal became the official collaborator for communication of the Inter-Conciliar Council of the Russian Orthodox Church. In September, 2011, it was officially recognized by the appropriate State authorities and entered in the Media register. According to statistics from Rambler, the Bogoslov.ru portal is among the 30 most visited sources with religious content on the Russian web. In the Yandex list, in fact, the portal is placed 50th (stats from 09.11.2013) among the sites with the most referrals in the ‘Society’ section. On 19 October, 2010, at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, at the University of Harvard, Bogoslov.ru was declared to be one of the most referred to sites on the Russian web, together with the ‘Pravoslavie i Mir’ (Orthodoxy and the World) portal and the official site of the Moscow Patriarchate (Patriarhiya. Ru). The average number of visitors fluctuates around 4,000 per day.
In 2012, Bogoslov.ru opened two channels on YouTube, in Russian and English where it publishes videos produced by the Bogoslov studio.
Today the Bogoslov.ru theological portal is the main platform for discussions across a wide range of ecclesiastical/historical, theological and other matters.
Orthodox Christian Network
The Orthodox Christian Network is an official agency of the Assembly of Bishops, originally commissioned by SCOBA to create a national, sustainable, and effective media witness for Orthodox Christianity throughout North America. In a constantly changing media landscape, OCN delivers positive, relevant Orthodox content via multiple delivery platforms, reaching today’s internet users via broadcast, podcast, video, blogging, and webinar content. “Come Receive the Light,” OCN’s flagship program hosted by Fr. Christopher Metropulos, is the only nationally syndicated Orthodox Christian radio broadcast. OCN works in direct collaboration with sister Assembly agencies (e.g., IOCC, OCMC, OCF, OCPM), as well as with various Orthodox Christian jurisdictions and pan-Orthodox, para-church organizations. Our goal is to engage the broader culture of North America with Orthodox Christianity’s rich theological, spiritual, and moral heritage, and to thereby strengthen the Orthodox Church’s witness and contribution to the culture in which we live.
Some of our Current Programs and Services
COME RECEIVE THE LIGHT, a popular weekly radio program heard on land-based and internet radio across the U.S. and overseas. Greek and Spanish language versions are now on the air.
THE RUDDER, a 24/7 Internet radio station with traditional Orthodox chant from around the world and teaching programs.
THE ANCHOR, a 24/7 Internet radio station with interviews and teaching programs.
FAROS, a 24/7 Internet radio station broadcasting in Greek.
PODCASTS, hosted programs covering topics ranging from the Scriptures to parenting—all available on iTunes, RSS feed, and on The Anchor.
WEB-BASED TV, including live broadcasts of worship services and special events.
TRAVEL BIXXIS, covering (Irthodox events around the globe.
THE SOUNDING, a multi-author Orthodox Christian blog.
Tills WEEK IN ORTI IOIXIXY, a weekly video newscast about events in the life of die Orhthodox Church.
How WE CAN HELP: OCN programming is a rich and varied resource your parish can draw on to supplement catechesis, church school, and other parish community projects. OCN also supports events around the church through interviews with experts, parish leaders, and lay people involved in good work in the wider w orld. We look forward to bringing the power of an established media platform to support your endeavors.