Alright, it's time I return to posting here on a regular basis. I have never intended this to be an apologetics blog and it won't become one. My goal is to go into some details and provide a different perspective that might challenge the way some view Eastern Orthodoxy (or Catholicism for that matter). I am not arguing (at least not strictly speaking) against Eastern Orthodox positions and opinions, I am simply providing information in order for people to have a more sober and informed assessment of them. There are many scholars and highly knowledgeable people out there but I am that village idiot that annoys them with questions, keeping them busy and remind the village folk not to trust any smart guy who comes to town. Anyway, continuing with this "pastoral" theme, here's an interesting story.
A long time ago in a land far far away a guy decides to leave his wife of many years for another beautiful woman. You know how life goes. However, this was a time when divorce was not taken lightly; no one really cared about personal feelings and desires. So, the guy says his wife tried to kill him, and so the poor woman is arrested and sent away. The main elder of the land, however, refuses to acknowledge this phony divorce and bless the new union with some cunning broad. Sounds familiar? Well, we aren't talking about England and Henry here. We are talking about Constantine VI, his wife Mary, Patriarch Tarasius, all of whom lived, as you've guessed already, in the Eastern Roman Empire. Disregarding the disapproval of Tarasius, a priest-monk by the name of Joseph "marries" Constantine and one of his court ladies Theodota in Hagia Sophia. Soon after other noblemen figured they could do the same and started banishing their wives under different excuses. I guess, it was their Summer of Love. However, this was a time when the real cool guys, the rock-stars of their time were always on the side of morality, purity and righteousness. One of these guys was Venerable Theodore the Studite.
