The Orthodox Woman's Association -- Ladies' Guild of St. Elias is a part of
Antiochian Orthodox Christian Women of North America: A Sisterhood Serving Christ through Serving Others. An excerpt from the sisterhood's Spring 2006 newsletter,
DIAKONIA, offers an enlightening discussion of matters timely and urgent for modern Christians, of special interest to women as caregivers and anchors of the family.
"How to aim at remaining Christian in a post-Christian culture?
"Radical changes are occurring in science, technologies, culture, and in many religions. A pan-ecumenism of Christians, Mohammedans, Buddhists, and New-Age spiritualists threatens to obscure the unique truth of Orthodox Christianity. In the secular, post-Christian culture, everything receives a new, misdirecting meaning; basic social structures are reshaped and distorted. This means that we Orthodox Christians must know our faith and that even down to practical ethical issues of life.
"So, what does our holy faith teach
- about medical ethics?
- About sexuality, procreation, and marriage?
- About elective abortion, surely a topic of momentous import for all Christians?
- About how to navigate the maze of end-of-life issues as they come to bear upon critically ill patients in medical care--in
short--about how to die properly? - About advance directives,
- living wills,
- physician-assisted suicide,
- euthanasia?
- What really is death and
- how do we meet it and help others to meet it?
"All of these call for a firm and clear direction from Holy Tradition.
Thanks be to God Who in His goodness and mercy has not left us ignorant, but rather offers a good word."
