How prevalent is pornography in our society?

In this series of podcasts, I’ve been talking a lot about the relationship between image and ultimate Reality, and about how the icon manifests to our senses a deeper, fuller, ultimate Reality that it is all too easy for us not to bring to conscious awareness. By manifesting that fuller Reality to us, the icon permits us to enter into relationship and communion with that fullness… a fullness… [ read more ]

How do we venerate the image of God in one another? And what does it signify when we abuse one another?

As Orthodox, we all have the experience of venerating icons. Speaking for myself, I know that my experience varies… sometimes I fail to give it my full attention, being self-conscious in front of others waiting behind me; or rushing on to the next thing; or sometimes feeling too much shame and not wanting to… [ read more ]

What does pornography have in common with a carnival mask?

Last time I was talking about imagination and fantasy — how imagination enables us to see beyond what is present to our physical senses, enabling us to be creative beings… co-creators with God — and how this can also be misdirected, enabling us to live in a fantasy which has an ever-diminishing connection with Reality… eventually separating us from God.

So imagination can be an… [ read more ]