Orthodox Christian Education
A ministry of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the USA
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The reality of suffering causes many questions about the nature of God.  It is known as the "problem of evil" or more specifically "the problem of pain."  Often people come to conclude that there is no God because there is evil in the world.  However, this is a problem of itself.  Let us leave aside the fact that atheists who argue against the existence of God from "the problem of evil" do not themselves acknowledge evil as a reality.  This means that we cannot take their premises or even argument seriously.  If we acknowledge that there is evil then we acknowledge that there is a moral law.  If we acknowledge a moral law than we acknowledge a moral law giver.  The existence of evil and the "problem of evil" therefore nails the case closed for God who is the moral law giver.  If there is no Moral Law Giver then there is no moral law, and if there is no moral law, then there is no good or evil.  Either one acknowledges the premises of the argument or they do not.  If they do not, then they cannot use the argument against the Biblical God.   This is not a matter of paradox, but of logical incompatibility.  One must either consistantly and fully acknowledge the premises as being true or not, for other than that is hypocrisy and deception. 

 

Sickness, Suffering, and Death--from the Orthodox Faith series by Fr. Thomas Hopko

Passages from Saints on suffering

Other quotes from Saints and writers on suffering

Podcast on Suffering from an Orthodox Christian perspective

 

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Scripture Readings

Julian Readings

CLICK HERE FOR JULIAN READINGS

*Note, the audio readings above are provided by Ancient Faith Radio and provides readings based on the Revised Orthodox Julian Calendar, because a majority of Orthodox jurisdictions are on the Revised Julian Calendar, as are the large majority of Orthodox in America.  While most of the year the daily readings are the same for the Julian and Revised Julian Calendar, there is a portion of the calendar where they differ.  For this reason, we here provide the readings for days when they differ. 

Saint of the Day

Julian Saint of the Day

The above audio readings are provided by AFR and are based on the Orthodox Revised Julian Calendar because a majority of Orthodox jurisdictions (and the largest three in the US) follow the RJC.  There are no audio readings based on the old Julian reckoning of the Menaion. 

CLICK HERE FOR A LIST OF JULIAN SAINTS OF THE DAY

The Orthodox Calendars (both Julian and Revised Julian) are both the same with regard to the Octoechos, the Lenten Triodion, the Pentecostorian (Flowery Triodion).  The only difference is that observation of the Menaion (currently 13 days apart) and "shifts" that occur with regard to the Menaion (such as Lucan jump, and when major feasts fall on a particular day).

   

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