I once thought that nothing original could be done in Orthodoxy. I considered the “The Faith . . . once for all delivered to the Saints”, and thought it humble to say that anything I create in regard to the Faith is either wholly derivative or inappropriately novel. I now think that one can contribute original expressions of the Faith. After all, each individual is an original expression of the Faith. And I no longer think that only the Fathers can do it. That mentality would drive us to a creative standstill, substituting the Fathers for the Protestant’s “inspired writers” of “The Bible”. I think each person has, as his vocation, a unique expression of the Faith to be lived out for his salvation. In some of us, this comes out as writing or some similar action. The Faith is shared, while the expression is unique. There is no opposition in that distinction.
I think, also, that sometimes it need not be an expression of the Faith, but is more appropriately an expression of experience lived in or with the Faith. Fallible, perhaps even heretical, but hopefully honest. I think, that such expression occurs within Oikonomia.
This works well with my thought that artists, such as myself, will go on creating in paradise. Writers will make new works and publish them. Editors will edit them to make them better. Etc.
So now, I no longer feel as though I should feel guilty for creating weblogs such as this one, or as though I’m helplessly crossing a line out of some sort of creative curse. I’m going to play around with it as I would with others expressive works, and merely let the subtitle serve as disclaimer.