“The term world is used in several distinct ways in Scripture. In some cases, it refers to all that is glorious, beautiful, and redeemable in God's creation (John 3:16). Other times, it refers to that which is finite in contrast to that which is eternal (John 11:9; John 18:36). In still other instances…it indicates all that is in rebellion against God (see also John 8:23).” (Orthodox Study Bible, John 15:18-25)
“A Christian is one who, wherever he looks, finds Christ and rejoices in Him. This joy transforms all his human plans and projects, decisions and actions, making all his mission [vocation] the sacrament of the world’s return to Him who is the life of the world." (Father Alexander Schmemann)
"Christians renounce the world by living for something other than the world…Christians transform the world by living for Christ." (Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou, Sacramental Living)
“A faithful relationship to God changes our relationship to the world…our actions as a community and our attitudes…either reveal Christ to the world, or obscure His presence.” (Orthodox Study Bible, Romans 12:2, Dynamis 7/12/2015)
"If the monastery is the arena for the spiritual training (ascesis) of the monk, then the home, the family, the workplace, the busy urban street are the arenas for those in the world." (Archimandrite Vassilios Papavassiliou)
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