Who We Are

Vestiges of Christianity is a news blog maintained under the direction of Bishop Bryan D. Ouellette, Ph.D., SOSM. Our goal is to reconcile ancient Christian theology with contemporary orthodox Christian practices and understandings. Our praxis carries with it a strong eastern liturgical focus while maintaining a freedom of spirituality that is true to ancient Christian ideology. We welcome anyone who desires to discover gnosis through the expression of early Christianity. We use the word "gnosis" with the intention to reflect its original meaning of soteriological knowledge, mystical wisdom and spiritual realization. While we encourage a working philosophical comprehension of Classical Gnosticism from antiquity, we are not a Gnostic or reconstructionist church. Our theology is orthodox, our approach, furthermore, is mystically liberating.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Fear

"I must not fear.
Fear is the mind-killer.
Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
I will face my fear.
I will permit it to pass over me and through me.
And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.
Where the fear has gone there will be nothing......Only I will remain."
Dune

Friday, September 24, 2010

A Complete Introduction to Gnosticism Part IV: Sethianism

Today, Father Bryan Ouellette speaks with Bishop Mani Gilmore about classical Gnosticism. Who were the "Sethians"? Who are they today? What did they believe and how does it apply to our modern practice?

CLICK HERE TO LSITEN

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Our Lady of Sorrows

Today, as we remember the seven sorrows of the Theotokos, let us pray:

Sun of Justice, the immaculate Virgin was the white dawn announcing your rising, grant that we may always live in the light of your coming. [from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary]

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross

Today the Church celebrates the Seventh Century victory of Emperor Heraclius of Constantinople in his success of recovering the relic of the True Cross stolen by the King of Persia, Chosroes II, restoring it to its original placement in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

The faithful recall this history as they reflect upon the meaning of the Cross of Jesus Christ. As Gnostics, we often find it tempting to dismiss this conventional soteriology, but I strongly caution against such oversights. Gnostic wisdom traditions that only reflect upon "the Revealer" aspects of Jesus Christ can very quickly lose the Jesus Christ of faith altogether. Perhaps this is what they are hoping to do, but such an approach often leads to an unbalanced result. I suspect that this might have been why so many early Christians of antiquity attempted to separate the person Jesus from the Aeon Christ. Keeping this firmly in mind, however, it is my contention that the ancient Gnostics didn't have a literal Separationist Christology as is commonly assumed; rather, I would argue that this was a metaphorical way of indicating that the historical Jesus and the Savior Christ should be dealt with equally, but differently.

On this feast of the Cross, I invite all of you to ponder what this 2,000 year old Sacrifice means to you.

Fr. Bryan

Monday, September 13, 2010

In memory of St. John Chrysostom

"Wisdom (Sophia) from above is first of all innocent. It is also peaceable, lenient, docile, rich in sympathy and the kindly deeds that are its fruits, impartial and sincere. The harvest of justice is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace." James 3:17-18