Archpriest George Morelli PhD

The essays below are archived on the Orthodoxy Today site. Essays published in 2021 and beyond appear on the Orthodox Healing site.

TOPICS: GOOD MARRIAGE SERIES | SMART PARENTING SERIES | CHAPLAIN’S CORNER SERIES | ESSAYS | LIGHT OF THE EAST – SOCIETY OF ST JOHN CHRYSOSTOM

Good Marriage Series

Practical advice on strengthening marriages.

• Good Marriage XXIV. Trust: A Cornerstone of a Godly Marriage

Commitment and loyalty are the foundation of trust in marriage
December 4, 2011

• Good Marriage XXII.  A Marriage Breaker: Obnoxiously Insisting on Your Point of View

Forcing “truth” makes it unlikely it will be heard
April 8, 2011

• Good Marriage XXI. Forfending Disclosure Demand and Disclosure Phobia

Even Jesus did not demand anyone disclose their thoughts and feelings to Him
January 5, 2011

• Good Marriage XX. Avoiding the Ultimatum Manipulation

We upset ourselves by our irrational interpretations of such events or situations
July 6, 2010

• Good Marriage XIX. Overcoming The Coercion Perception Stumbling Block

Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face
December 25, 2009

• Good Marriage XVIII. Marriage and Parenting in the Domestic Church

St. Chrysostom: Marriage is an esteemed path to salvation
August 13, 2009

• Good Marriage XVII. Wrecking a Marriage: Demanding Human Justice

The judgment of man is one thing; the judgment of God is another
June 11, 2009

• Good Marriage XVI. Pre-Marriage: Avoiding Infatuation Intoxication

Love is blind but the neighbors ain’t
March 3, 2009

• Good Marriage XV. Ensnared By Mindless Helping

For Christians, help is a problematic concept
February 8, 2009

• Good Marriage XIV. The Anti-Negotiation Stumbling Block

One spouse cannot spontaneously know what the other wants or needs
October 8, 2008

• Good Marriage XIII. The Theology of Marriage and Sexuality

Looking deeper into the meaning and structure of marriage
July 6, 2008

• Good Marriage XII. Overdependency

Does overdependence on a spouse reveal a lack of trust in God?
January 20, 2008

• Good Marriage XI. The Game Of Relationship Self-Esteem

Healthy self-identity in marriage
January 9, 2008

• Good Marriage X. Perfectionism

How ideas about the “perfect spouse” can undermine marital stability
November 20, 2007

• Good Marriage IX. Trapped in a False Definition of Marital Love

Wrong ideas about love can weaken a marriage
October 4, 2007

• Good Marriage VIII. Rejection Phobia

When the fear of rejection can become self-fulfilling
September 21, 2007

• Good Marriage VII. ‘Desperate Togetherness’ and the Fear of Being Alone

Fear of being alone can add the element of desperation to a marriage
August 7, 2007

• Good Marriage VI. Romantic Love – The Double Edged Sword of Marriage

Romantic love not enough to sustain a marriage
July 22, 2007

• Good Marriage V. Staying Focused

A guideline for communication, negotiation and collaboration
July 7, 2007

• Good Marriage IV. The “Preference Scale”

A tool for communication, negotiation, and collaboration
June 2, 2007

• Good Marriage III. Nagging: The Ultimate Marital Over-Control

Nagging breeds anger and resentment
May 15, 2007

• Good Marriage II. Reciprocity—The One-Way Contract that can Wreck a Marriage

The impossibility of meeting unreasonable expectations
April 27, 2007

• Good Marriage I – How an Attitude of Entitlement Undermines Marriage

Unreasonable expectations can lead to anger and strife
March 15, 2007

Smart Parenting Series

Practical advice on raising children

• Smart Parenting XXV: “Yes, Virginia, Second and Third Hand Smoking is Child Abuse”

Exposing children to secondhand smoke is a “moral failure” that needs addressing by mental health practitioners
July 11, 2015

• Smart Parenting XXIV: Spanking – Physical, Psychological and Moral Abuse

There are better ways to teach behavioral discipline than imposing pain
November 1, 2014

• Smart Parenting XXII. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting

Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice’s sake
August 1, 2013

• Smart Parenting XXI. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Bring peace to ourselves in order to bring it to our families
May 1, 2013

• Smart Parenting XX. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Blessed Are the Pure of Heart

Purity of heart and the Light of God
January 2, 2013

• Smart Parenting IXX. Halloween: A Few Spiritual Pointers for Orthodox Parents

Halloween is a pagan holiday that was never Christianized. Here’s some ideas on how to handle it
October 23, 2012

• Smart Parenting XVIII. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Blessed Are the Merciful

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy
October 4, 2012

• Smart Parenting XXVII. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Righteousness

Blessed Are They Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness Sake for They Shall be Filled
August 18, 2012

• Smart Parenting XXVI. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Blessed Are The Meek

Meekness as a source of strength
June 1, 2012

• Smart Parenting XXV. Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Blessed Are They Who Mourn

Blessed are those that mourn, for they shall be comforted
May 2, 2012

• Smart Parenting XXIV Applying Christ’s Beatitudes to Parenting: Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit

Becoming poor in spirit
January 2, 2012

• Smart Parenting XXIII. Coping with Bullying

A comprehensive but practical look at bullying and how to deal with it
October 3, 2011

• Smart Parenting XXII. Witnessing Loyalty, Dedication and Dependability

Parents need to model dedication, loyalty, and dependability
August 1, 2011

• Smart Parenting XXI. Raising Children Disposed to Peace

Teaching your children peace in a violent world
July 1, 2011

• Smart Parenting XX. The Theology and Practice of Love Made Simple

God’s love for us is individualized and concrete
May 1, 2011

• Smart Parenting XIX. Preparing for the Extinction Explosion

A sane and successful way to handle extreme temper tantrums
December 1, 2101

• Smart Parenting XVIII. A Spiritual Child as a Happy Child

What makes for a happy child?
August 15, 2009

• Smart Parenting XVII. Love and Worship in the Domestic Church – Of God or Idols?

What we do reflects what we value
July 15, 2009

• Smart Parenting XVI. Styles of Parenting

Authoritative parenting best for raising pro-social children
May 22, 2009

• Smart Parenting XV. When your Child Brings up a Conflict Between Church and Science

The measure of all things is Christ
November 21, 2008

• Smart Parenting XIV. Talking To Children About Same-Sex “Marriage”

Children see the campaign for same-sex marriage all around them. How do parents respond?
September 19, 2008

• Smart Parenting XIII. Tools for Smart Punishing

The right and wrong ways of punishing children
June 10, 2008

• Smart Parenting XII. The Time Out Tool

Shaping behavior through constructive consequences
May 26, 2008

• Smart Parenting XI. Smart Tools—Shaping and Consistency

Children conform to the rules their parents obey
March 17, 2008

• Smart Parenting X. Combating Secularism’s Most Serious Sin: Indifference

Parenting and spiritual awareness
February 12, 2008

• Smart Parenting IX. Talking to Children When a Popular Role Model Falls Short

Teach, don’t preach. Some sample questions with answers
December 29, 2007

• Smart Parenting VIII. Fighting For Christ at Christmas—Combating Secularism

Preserving the holiness of Christmas in the home
December 18, 2007

• Smart Parenting VII. Combating Secularism in the Home

Using current events (The Golden Compass) to fight secularism in the home
December 4, 2007

• Smart Parenting VI. Talking To Children About Sex

If parents don’t teach their children, the culture will
August 28, 2007

• Smart Parenting V. A Short Lesson for Father’s Day

Fathers, mothers, and Paris Hilton
June 14, 2007

• Smart Parenting IV. Cuss Control

Bad language pollutes the culture and harms the child
September 24, 2006

• Smart Parenting III. Developing Emotional Control

How we deal with ourselves affects how we deal with our children
March 25, 2006

• Smart Parenting II. Raising Well-Behaved Children

Practical tips on raising your child
February 4, 2006

• Smart Parenting I. Raising Well-Behaved Children

Practical tips on raising your child
September 15, 2005

Chaplain’s Corner Series

Short essays written for the La Jolla Veteran’s Hospital newsletter in La Jolla, California

• Being True to Our Purpose

Keep you eyes trained on the goal
February 2, 2016

• What the World Needs Now is Personhood

That the world needs love is a truism. But what kind of love does it need?
January 1, 2016

• The Best Thanksgiving is Giving

It’s an old aphorism but true: It is better to give than to receive.
November 23, 2015

• Courageous Engagement

Good religion should inspire us to act heroically to the best of our ability
October 1, 2015

• Undue Concern Over Other’s Problems

Undue concern about the problems of others affects our own well-being
September 1, 2015

• Chaplains Corner: Fixation on Past History

It’s not true that if we felt strongly about something in the past we will feel the same in the future
August 1, 2015

• Chaplain’s Corner: Healthy Dependence

The signs of unhealthy dependence are high intensity of the emotional need, a sense of self worthlessness, a lack of confidence and ensuing helplessness and hopelessness when not dependent on others
July 4, 2015

• Chaplain’s Corner: Overcoming the Avoidance of Responsibilities

Prefer not to face discomfort. The comfortable route is to do what is easy, natural or intrinsically enjoyable
June 4, 2015

• Chaplain’s Corner: Persevering in Fearsome Situations

Courage is not the absence of fear, but the capacity for action despite our fears
May 7, 2015

• Chaplain’s Corner: True Happiness

Two paths to experience happiness
April 3, 2015

• Chaplains Corner: What We Do Is Not Who We Are

“We can strongly disapprove of the nefarious works or actions of others while still maintaining their worth or personhood.”
March 1, 2015

• Perfectionism vs. Diligence

Perfectionism is the enemy of success. Diligence is its friend
February 3, 2015

• Chaplain’s Corner: Overcoming the Need for Approval

According to the Church Fathers, the dire need for approval is a form of “vain-glory.”
January 1, 2105

• Chaplains Corner: People Are Going to Act the Way They Want To, Not the Way I Want

“The more religious a man is, the more he will respect the decision of his fellow man not to go further”
December 2, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner: Is the Cup Half Full or Half Empty?

Are you a cynic or hopeful?
November 1, 2014

• Finding One’s Meaning in Life

Finding your meaning leads to finding your purpose
October 1, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner: Annoyance is Routine, Anger is a Killer

When ‘catastrophizing’ occurs, an emotional reaction way beyond annoyance ensues
September 1, 2014

• Excuses

“Step up and own it!”
August 1, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner: Unlikely Heroes in Crisis Times

Heroes can be ordinary people who do extraordinary things
July 1, 21014

• Chaplain’s Corner: Silence is Golden

Would it not be ideal if “the word unspoken” . . .sprang from the habits of a truly virtuous mind and heart?
June 1, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner: Spiritual Neglect

Thoughts on sloth
May 1, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner—Harmony: What the World Needs Now

Music helps us understand the meaning of harmony
April 1, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner: The Importance of Family in Healing

Healing improves in caring families
March 2, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner. Integrity: The Foundation of Trust

Integrity is a weapon in reestablishing trust
February 3, 2014

• Where has all the Trust Gone?

The damage that loss of trust and diminishment of trustworthiness cause in the modern world. . .may be a significant reason to re-establish religion in our lives
January 1, 2014

• Chaplain’s Corner: Self Awareness and Self Control

Success requires discipline, passion, and hard work
December 1, 2013

• Chaplain’s Corner – Supporting Others

There is a spiritual connection in supporting others
Novermber 1, 2013

• Chaplains Corner – Supporting Orthers

There’s a spiritual connection in supporting others
October 3, 2013

• Self Honesty

The psychological multi-dimensionality of self-honesty
September 1, 2013

• Defusing Incivility

Incivility begets more incivility
July 1, 2013

• Ordinary People & Extraordinary Demands

After the Boston bombings we knew the world changed — again
June 1, 2013

• Peace is Precious

There can be no happiness without peace
May 1, 2013

• Chaplains Corner – Self Reflection: Compassion and Civility

Self-reflection is critical to the spiritual life
April 1, 2013

• Chaplain’s Corner: The Arrogance of Power, The Power of Humility

Hubris and humility
March 2, 2013

• Seeing the Good in Others

When things look bad, look for good
February 2, 2013

• Chaplain’s Corner. Discipline: Our Commitment For Next Year and All Our Lives

Resolutions for the New Year might be useless but self-discipline is not
January 2, 2013

• Chaplains Corner. Blessed Christmas: On the Use of the Wealth of Our Bounty

Wealth requires compassion.
December 2, 2012

• Chaplain’s Corner: Wisdom, Age and Belief in God

The older we get, the more likely we will believe in God
November 6, 2012

• Chaplain’s Corner. Resilience: The Key to Catastrophe Management

Are things really as bad as they seem?
October 4, 2013

• Bullying: Defacing God’s Image

Kindliness is next to godliness
September 3, 2012

• Selective Focusing

We all filter what we see
July 31, 2012

• The Need for Prayer in Our Lives

Prayer can have physical, psychological and spiritual benefits
July 2, 2012

• Everything in Moderation

Do all things in moderation
June 1, 2012

• Chaplain’s Corner.  God: The Source of Life’s Ultimate Meaning

The way of un-knowing can be the way of knowing
May 2, 2012

• Chaplain’s Corner: Silence is Golden

The value of silence cuts across many religious traditions
April 1, 2012

• Chaplain’s Corner: Heroism Revisited

Be well disposed to the people around you
March 1, 2012

• Chaplains Corner: Even the Thought is an Affront to God

Limiting the service of chaplains gives the impression that government administrators think religion is unimportant
January 2, 2012

• Commitment for a New Year: Overcoming Rudeness

Treating people rudely violates their inherent dignity
January 1, 2012

• Remembrance of God

Being “Scrooge-like” is a spiritual illness with a cure
December 5, 2011

• Overcoming Bitterness

Bitterness impedes personal growth
November 5, 2011

• Compassion: The Forgotten Virtue

Compassion is a skill that can be developed by practice
October 3, 2011

• Anger – The Boomerang Emotion

As anger increases, so does its destructiveness
September 1, 2011

• Making Our Future

Blessed Augustine writes: Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you
August 1, 2011

• Divine Justice vs. Human Justice

The way things appear to us is not always the way they appear to God
July 1, 2011

• Finding Meaning in Suffering

Much worry comes from the idea that life should be the way we want it to be. Most of the time it isn’t
June 5, 2001

• The Hidden Devastation of Greed

The moral dimension of our economic crisis
May 1, 2011

• Pride: The Source of All Evil

Pride is the root of all vice
April 8, 2011

• Worthy Work

What determines what work is worthy?
March 1, 2011

• Envy: The Concealed Passion

Envy is listed last in the 10 Commandments but near first in evil consequences
January 3, 2011

• What Happened to Christmas? A Lesson For All Godly People

Secular “neutrality” is hardly neutral
November 29, 2010

• Giving at Thanksgiving

Let’s walk the path of giving
November 1, 2010

• The Center of Godliness is Forgiveness

To forgive is divine
October 1, 2010

• The Heart: The Revelation of our True Self

God doesn’t hear our shouts, he looks at our heart
September 8, 2010

• Godly Greatness in the Midst Of Calamity

“For he who has wealth hoarded up cannot hope in God”
September 10, 2010

• Maintaining our Moral Compass

It starts with “watchfulness.”
July 6, 2010

• Perseverance

Opportunity is missed because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work
May 25, 2010

• “You Owe Me One!” — The Reciprocity Factor

Who do those who do a favor expect one in return?
April 29, 2010

• Work and Pray

Finding God as you work
April 9, 2010

• Brokenness, Prayer, Forgiveness and Healing

Pray for those who despitefully use you.
April 9, 2010

• New Year Resolutions? Bah Humbug!

Do it right or don’t bother
January 15, 2010

• And on Earth…Peace

…to men of good will
December 25, 2009

• Overcoming The Coercion Perception

Arrogance is an abomination to the Lord
December 15, 2009

• Godless Thanksgiving

“The last time I thought about God, was when I was high-tailing it away from the cops.”
November 15, 2009

• The Blame Game

Real events cannot be changed but our reaction to them can
October 27, 2009

• The Fruit and Responsibility of Labor

Man goes forth to his work and to his labor until the evening..
September 26, 2009

• Brokenness: Hope and Optimism

Hope is fostered in tribulation
August 13, 2009

• Honest Friendship?

A circle of true friends is relatively small
July 12, 2009

• Entitlement: Sabotaging Relationships

Whenever we make a demand based on our title we operate from an entitlement perspective
June 1, 2009

• Spiritual Winter — Spiritual Spring

After darkness, light…after death, resurrection
April 20, 2009

• Mindfullness: A Tool to Break Bad Habits and Troubling Emotions

“Be watchful in all things…”
April 19, 2009

• Double Your Worry, Double Your Problem

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down ….”
March 1, 2009

• Having Our Own Way

People and events are going to be the way they are
January 31, 2009

• Labeling Others: The Clear Thinking Trap

Labels betray a basic thinking error
January 22, 2009

• Christmas: A National Holiday

Different traditions can stand side by side with each other
December 20, 2008

• Thanksgiving: The National Holy-day

“Give thanks in everything…”
November 1, 2008

• Kindness: The Key to Heaven and People

Kindness is central to many religious traditions.
October 18, 2008

• Placing Impossible Standards on Ourselves

The key to success is to use the talents God gave us
September 18, 2008

• Defeating Anxiety: Overcoming the Need for Approval

The question we ask should be: “What do I want to accomplish in life?”
August 29, 2008

• Kindness is Pleasing to Both God and Man

Is there an alternative to angry communication?
September 18, 2008

• Pastoral Reflections on Suicide in the Military

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the military. Why? What can be done about it?
June 25, 2008

Essays

Reflections on the world today

• The Spirituality of Moral Unity: Standing Together

The 21st century: The best and worst of times
December 12, 2015

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners – Part 8

“You doctors, must take good care of your patients in order to avoid unpleasant situations.”
October 20, 2015

• Saving God’s Creation: Another East-West Alliance

A moral challenge to be aware of our past sins and repent for them by reversing the ills we have inflicted
September 5, 2015

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners: Part 7

A follow up course to Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course
August 3, 2015

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners – Part 7

Afollow up course to Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course, that appeared in four parts over the years 2012-2013
June 4, 2015

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners – Part 6

A follow up course to Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course
April 3, 2015

• Healing Society: Understanding True Personhood

Some Christian communities not in communion with the Apostolic Churches have not dealt directly with the issue of personhood.
March 1, 2015

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners — Part 5

A follow up course to Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course published in 2012-2013
February 3, 2015

• Allied Against Criminalizing Christ and His Church

A segment of secular society seeks to persecute and criminalize Christ and His Church
January 1, 2015

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners—Part 4

A follow up course to Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course
December 2, 2014

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practioners—Part 3

A follow up to “Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course.”
October 1, 2014

• New Martyrs Everywhere

The Evil One working under the guise of our own particular weaknesses particularly the passions and prejudices
September 1, 2014

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners:  Part 2

A follow up course to Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course
August 1, 2014

• Healing the Church of the Homogenization of Vocations: A Psycho-Theological Reflection

The teachings of Christ and His Church is not formulated by popular opinion
July 1, 2014

• Understanding Orthodoxy for Mental Health Practitioners – Part 1

The mission of the Orthodox Christian Church, at its most basic, is to continue and make available the restorative healing of mankind
June 1, 2014

• Staying Connected To Our Spiritual Family: Our Parish Church

How we to do the work of God?
May 1, 2014

• Interiorized Spirituality (Monasticism) and the Domestic Church

The family home is the “domestic Church.”
April 1, 2014

• Compassion: The Forgotten Virtue

Lack of compassion is because of separation from God
March 2, 2014

• Dealing with the Assault on Christ’s Church – Official and Unofficial

The Affordable Care Act is an assault on religious freedom
February 3, 2014

• Mindfulness as Known by the Church Fathers

Spiritual health equals pure thoughts, an enlightened mind, and a purified heart
January 10, 2014

• Interview with Fr. George Morelli: To Teach and To Heal

A closer look at Fr. George Morelli and the ideas guiding his ministry
Nov 25, 21013

• Living as an Orthodox Christian in a Non-Orthodox World

Faith, like hope and love, begins at home
October 3, 2013

• Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course Part 4

Examining the healing potential of faith
September 1, 2013

• Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course Part 3

Distorted cognitions and the passions (strong emotions).
July 1, 2013

• The Body and Sexuality: How We As Orthodox Understand It

A Lenten Retreat
June 1, 2013

• Following Jesus:  The Power of Forgiveness

Theological, psychological and .practical suggestions for growth
April 1, 2013

• Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course Part 2

Cognitive therapy and religious practice
February 2, 2013

• Sandy Hook: Psychospiritual Reflections and Interventions

Both reference to the higher things and practical interventions are required to deal with the trauma of Sandy Hook
January 4, 2013

• Orthodox Christian Spirituality and Cognitive Psychotherapy: An Online Course Part 1

For the Christian, psychotherapy is one component of the healing process of healing ‘body, mind and spirit.’
December 2, 2012

• Food That Perishes: An Orthodox Approach to Food and Eating Disorders

Problems with food can be a disorder
September 3, 2012

• Commentary: Profiles in Moral Courage

Standing up for what is right
August 9, 2012

• Ministry to Those with Alternative Lifestyles

What did the Church Fathers say about proper spiritual counsel?
July 2, 2012

• Healing Society: Revisiting Witnessing Christ in a Secular Age

There can be grievous spiritual danger for Christians in public display of their commitment to Christ
April 1, 2012

• Christian Belief and the Medical Establishment, Part II

Under what circumstances do we ask God for help?
March 15, 2012

• Christian Belief and the Medical Establishment, Part I

The practice of medicine needs a firm and coherent moral grounding
March 15, 2012

• Surpassing Human Justice: Enthroning Divine Justice

The cry for justice is heard around the world
March 1, 2012

• The Favor of God Was Upon Him—Homily on the Circumcision of Christ, January 1, 2012

What are the works that we must do that follow from Christ’s teachings?
January 3, 2012

• Understanding Counseling in a Pastoral Setting

A presentation below was given to the Clergy Retreat of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America, November 08-11, 2011, in Scottsdale, AZ.
January 1, 2012

• Christ: Our Model for Forgiveness

“Forgive one another as I have forgiven you.”
November 5, 2011

• Revisiting that Kindness and Forgiveness Are Next to Godliness: Even in Church

Harsh severity and anger can drive people away from the Church
September 1, 2011

• Healing Apostolic Church Disunity: Zeal – Among the first of virtues required by Holy Baptism

Love is the key to zealous committment in the Church
June 5, 2011

• Out of the Fountain that is Christ: Free Will, Tolerance and Forgiveness

How should Christians respond to the charge that they are intolerant?
March 1, 2011

• Pastoral Pointer: It’s the Spirit Behind the Letter

The letter kills but the Spirit gives life
February 1, 2010

• Combatting Secularism: A Powerpoint Presentation for Clergy and Catechists

A talk given to the Greek Orthodox Metropolis of San Francisco clergy, November, 2010
January 1, 2011

• The Ethos of Orthodox Catechesis: The Mind of the Orthodox Church

Using what is sacred to teach about things that are sacred
November 25, 2010

• The Imposition of Sharia Law

A case for the application of christian law in secular society
November 24, 2010

• Beauty, the Divine Connection: Psychospiritual Reflections

To find beauty is to find God, to find God is to find beauty
October 1, 2010

• The Laws Of Nature Are Also The Laws Of God – Evolution: A Psychospiritual Reflection

Wrestling with Genesis and evolution
September 8, 2010

• Emotional Activation And Psychospiritual Intervention: An Overview

Spiritual counseling and the physiology of the brain
August 1, 2010

• Book Review: Surviving the Folded Flag

A story of emotional anguish, grief, attempts to understand, and survival strength of those who have lost a loved one in war
July 19, 2010

• Living as a Christian in a Post-Christian World: Discernment

“Do not be conformed to this world…”
June 1, 2010

• Toward Healing Church Schism: Overview and Psycho-theological Reflection

What can we do to achieve unity between Catholics and Orthodox?
April 30, 2010

• Clergy Burnout and Fatigue

Ways to manage the demands and resulting stress of the pastoral vocation
April 21, 2010

• Cultivating Spiritual Perception

A psychological and theological reflection on icons
April 18, 2010

• Recalling Lent: Christ is Our Model For Forgiveness

“Forgive one another even as I have forgiven you…”
April 9, 2010

• The Disarming Technique

What to do when two ‘truths’ threaten to collide
April 9, 2010

• A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

When Christians do wrong, other Christians need to call them on it
December 31, 2009

• The Power of the Name: Implications For Orthodox Psycho-Theology

Change the language, and you change the faith
November 17, 2009

• Overcoming Anxiety: Christ, The Church Fathers and Cognitive Scientific Psychology

“Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down” (Proverbs 12:25)
October 24, 2009

• Secularism and the Mind of Christ and the Church: Some Psycho-Spiritual Reflections

When the social consensus shatters, where do we look to?
September 26, 2009

• A Psycho-Spiritual Eulogy for Suicide: Dimly Glimpsing the Incomprehensible

The paradox of a good God permitting evil
July 30, 2009

• Book Review. Faith Under Fire

Memoir shows even chaplains face spiritual crisis in war zone
April 12, 2009

• Healing The Infirmity Of Sin: A Brief Explanation

Some ABC’s of spiritual healing
April 10, 2009

• The Scandal: Jesus Hangs on the Cross to Forgive Us of Sin

A reflection for Lent
March 28, 2009

• Suicide: Christ, His Church and Modern Medicine

How do we make sense of suicide?
January 13, 2009

• The Theophany and Healing

Our Lord as physician and healer
January 6, 2009

• Ministry at the End of Life

Advice on dealing with sickness and death
December 20, 2008

• Patient Endurance

Persevering through troubling times
August 2, 2008

• Pastoral Reflections on Suicide in the Military

Suicide is the fourth leading cause of death in the military. Why? What can be done about it?
June 25, 2008

• Pascha: Marital Vocation and Putting on Christ

How marriage relates to the renewal offered us by the resurrection of Christ
June 16, 2008

• The Fruit of Pentecost: The Holy Spirit and Healing

The Holy Spirit as God’s agent of healing
June 16, 2008

• The Ethos of Lent

Nuggets of wisdom for the Lenten journey
April 1, 2008

• The Orthodox Understanding of Sin

A Lenten reflection
March 14, 2008

• Asceticism And Psychology In The Modern World

Is asceticism limited to monks in an abandoned or desolate location? Are ordinary Christians different from monks?
March 5, 2006

• Humility And Purity Of Heart: A Lenten Reflection”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
March 5, 2008

• The Publican: A Model for our Lenten Journey

Humility is the foundation of virtue, pride its destruction
February 14, 2008

• Forgiveness is Healing

Anger destroys, forgiveness can heal
December 2, 2007

• From The Fathers of the Ecumenical Councils

Be open to the Word of God.
Be open minded to the Word of God
October 21, 2007

• The Healing Christ Our Heavenly Physician

All healing comes from God
October 3, 2007

• The Tragedy of the Vatican’s Recent Declaration on the Roman Church

Vatican self-understanding undermines ecumenical progress
July 13, 2007

• The Psycho-Spirituality of Forgiving People and Nations

Forgiveness in personal and social relationships
April 3, 2007

• Making Psychological Referrals in the Parish

Priests poorly trained about psychological problems they encounter
February 28, 2007

• The Spiritual Roots of Altruism: The Good Samaritan

Altruism and the divine love toward the neighbor
February 4, 2007

• A Theophany Within

If Jesus is who He says He is, why don’t I see Him more clearly?
January 12, 2007

• The Ethos of Orthodox Christian Healing

An Orthodox Christian view of the healing of soul and body
December 21, 2006

• Understanding Clergy Stress

A psycho-spiritual response
December 5, 2006

• Understanding Homosexuality

An Orthodox Christian perspective
November 20, 2006

• Conflict and Disagreement

An analysis of Pope Benedict’s remarks based on the parable of “The Publican and the Pharisee” and Conflict Management
October 31, 2006

• A Reality-Delusional Test About Forgiveness

What can the Amish teach the Orthodox?
October 11, 2006

• Overcoming Depression

Cognitive scientific psychology and the Church Fathers
October 5, 2006

• Whose Church Do I Belong To: My Church or the Orthodox Church of Christ?

Secularism and the corruption of Church and society
September 6, 2006

• My Experience as a Priest and Psychologist at an Orthodox Maternity Home

Serving the women of the Martha and Mary House
August 6, 2006

• Dealing With Brokenness in the World

Learned psychological optimism and the virtue of hope
July 29, 2006

• Assertiveness and Christian Charity

Thy spiritual and psychological dynamics of assertive responses
July 2, 2006

• Illness, Death, and Life

An Orthodox perspective
June 7, 2006

• The Prophet Joel

A message for today’s secular world
June 7, 2006

• Illness, Death, and Life: An Orthodox Perspective

An Orthodox perspective
June 7, 2006

• The Spiritual Roots of Procrastination

Orthodox tradition deepens and clarifies the psychological findings
June 4, 2006

• Orthodoxy and the Science of Psychology

When psychology conforms to the scientific method, it can complement Orthodox teaching
May 8, 2006

• “Sexual Addiction”

An Orthodox and scientific view
April 3, 2006

Light of the East – Society of St. John Chrysostom

Messages for Light of the East, the quarterly newsletter of the St. John Chrysostom Society – Western Region. Visit their website: www.lightoftheeast.org.

• Toward Healing Apostolic Church Disunity: Speaking with One Voice

Even though the Catholic and Orthodox Churches are divided, maintaining agreement on the core issues of the Christian faith is paramount
December 1, 2013

• Renewed Possibilities for the Apostolic Churches

The pastoral focus of Pope Francis bodes increased cooperation of the Apostolic Churches.
August 1, 2013

• Apostolic Church Unity: Hope, Prayer and Work

Orthodox and Catholic cooperation is increasing
March 2, 2013

• Moral Courage

Moral issues matter in elections
September 18, 2012

• Moral Courage

Moral issues matter in elections
September 18, 2012

• The New Martyrs In Syria

Christians will suffer in the Syrian conflict
July 29, 2012

• + His Holiness Pope Shenouda III – May His Memory Be Eternal!

Remembering a great Christian leader
May 26, 2012

• Our Prayerful Thanks to God for All Who Uphold Christian Moral Principles

Traditionalist Christians may differ in details, but they unified on the essentials
March 16, 2012

• Working Together in Charity

Any interaction we have with others, especially those who may differ with us should be based on the utmost charity that Christ showed Himself
September 12, 2011

• Zeal: Among the First of Virtues of our Missionary Apostolate

We have to cultivate the virtue of zeal
May 17, 2011

• Moral Courage: Something the Apostolic Churches Can Do Now

Defending the moral tradition in the face of secularism, moral relativism and political and religious correctness
February 1, 2011

• God’s Mercy: The Focus of Eastern & Western Church Understanding

God does nothing out of retribution
Winter, 2010

• Stormy Weather Committment

Pope Benedict is an example of Christ-like endurance towards hostility
Fall, 2010

• Healing Orthodox Division: A Message for all Apostolic Churches

Ground-breaking step taken to unify the Orthodox Churches in America
Summer, 2010

• The Byzantine Liturgy as Missionary

The Byzantine Liturgy as a missionary tool
Spring, 2010

• The Wounds in the Body of Christ

Coming to our senses
Winter, 2009

• On the Blood of the Martyrs

Human barriers do not reach up to heaven
Fall, 2009

• The Society of St. John Chysostom as Witness

The Church Has to Break Down Mechanisms That Alienate People
Summer, 2009

• Relativism: The Enemy of All Apostolic Churches

Don’t despair at the relativism of many nominal Christians
Spring, 2009