Does apostasy bring trouble?

Hieromonk Job (Gumerov)  

To return to the Orthodox Church, you do not need to be baptized. This sacrament has already been performed on you. In order to restore one's membership in the Church, one must bring deep repentance during confession. Life's failures may well be related to the apostasy you have committed. Do not despair. The merciful Lord will forgive you. It is only necessary to bring sincere repentance and show the fruits of faith.

Why does "God resist the proud"?

Hieromonk Job (Gumerov)  

Likewise, the younger ones, obey the shepherds; yet, being subject to one another, clothe yourselves with humility, for God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5). St. The Apostle Peter proves the salvific nature of humility, despite the perniciousness of pride, as does the Holy Apostle James (4:6), by referring to the Proverbs of Solomon according to the Greek Bible (Proverbs 3:34). Since pride is the most dangerous spiritual ailment, God humbles such a person by allowing heavy temptations. They can be different for each person. Most often, it is proud people who become obsessed. "There is nothing worse than pride, which is why God constantly strikes it down by all means" (St. John Chrysostom).

Should a woman tolerate her husband's assault?

Priest Athanasius Gumerov, a monk of Sretensky Monastery  

In the Holy Scriptures, only one ground for divorce is indicated – adultery: "I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for the guilt of adultery, gives her a reason to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery" (Matthew 5:32). Why is adultery an exception made? Because adultery actually destroys the family union. If a marriage is made dependent on the shortcomings (sometimes serious) of the husband or wife, then it will become extremely unstable and of little life, which is what we are witnessing now. The state of the family where the husband fights is sad. But it is no less difficult for a wife from a husband who does not touch her with a finger, but painfully hurts her spouse with a word, humiliates and insults. The third drinks. Someone withdrew from family affairs, and everything fell on the wife, who breaks under this burden. And how many families where the husband spends all his free time in front of the TV, and is completely indifferent to his wife, from which she is discouraged.

First of all, you need to test yourself – whether everything has been done to correct relations in the family. "If any one of you is wise and prudent, prove it in fact by good conduct with wise meekness" (James 3:13). The purpose of Christian marriage is one – joint salvation. Even if the husband has not yet embarked on this path, a believing wife has a special responsibility: to convert her unbelieving husband with the fruits of her spiritual life. "Why do you know, wife, whether you will not save your husband? Or do you, husband, know if you will not save your wife? Only each one should do as God has ordained him, and each one as the Lord has called. Thus do I command in all the churches" (1 Corinthians 7:12-13). Christianity is a religion of resurrection. It does not consider anyone hopeless. Until the last breath of a person, there is hope for his salvation.

If the wife does not bear her cross, and the husband is not saved, then what answer will she give to God at the Judgment? Our efforts do not always bring the desired result. However, no work for the good of our neighbor will be wasted, but will serve us as justification.

Is it true that only philosophy can dictate the framework of morality and culture?

Priest Athanasius Gumerov, a monk of Sretensky Monastery  

The opinion of the philosophy teacher you quoted contains a fundamental inaccuracy. Philosophy cannot determine the framework of culture, because it is itself a part of it. A part does not define the boundaries of the whole. As for the possibility of philosophy to set the boundaries of morality, this question has long been resolved by philosophy itself in its classical period. I. Kant proved that the principles of morality cannot be derived from the activity of philosophical, "pure reason". They are the postulates of "practical reason". "Therefore everyone regards moral laws as commandments, which they could not be if they did not combine with their rules a priori corresponding consequences and, consequently, were not accompanied by promises and threats. But this would be impossible if they were not based on the necessary being as the highest good, which alone can establish such an expedient unity" (Critique of Pure Reason, Moscow, 1999, p. 598).