Spiritual Foundation
- Michael Haldas
- Jul 21
- 3 min read
“Neurosis is a personality crisis. This is the clash of the desired and actual. And this is often a spiritual problem. An unrestrained growth of neuroses in our time is not only caused by stresses and scientific and technological progress with its information overloads (which researchers have repeatedly pointed out), but above all, by the "progress" of human fallenness. In all times throughout human history there were wars, different natural disasters, floods, droughts, tornadoes, etc. It's hard to compare, let’s say, to what extent the present time is more anxious and restless…Why has the problem of neuroses become so acute only recently? The reason, I think, is only the growing faithlessness, the loss of a spiritual foundation by humanity, and with it a true sense of life.” (Prof. Dmitry Avdeev M.D., Ph.D.)
“I believe that the death and resurrection of Christ are utterly universal in their reality. They are not isolated events, significant only within the Christian belief system. I believe they are the singular moments within space and time (and outside space and time) that reveal the truth of all things, of all people, and of the heart and nature of the God who created all things and sustains them. I believe this is true whether I or anyone else believes it. The death and resurrection of Christ are the most fundamental and foundational facts of reality.” (Father Stephen Freeman)
“We must recognize our spiritual, psychological, and physical limits. If we push ourselves beyond what we can handle, we risk burnout, losing our connection with God, or leading a double life—appearing pious toward our spiritual father while struggling internally. God knows what we can offer and He never asks for what we don’t have. To have an honest and proper Relationship with Him, we must know and respect our limits. In this lies the foundation for spiritual growth, performing miracles and protection against despair—the devil’s most powerful weapon.” (Bishop Emilianos)
“…Jerusalem means “foundation of peace.” Christ is the Prince of Peace. When He came to bring His peace to the city, to what was supposed to be the place of peace (Luke 19:41-44), He wept and lamented that the city did not recognize “the things that make for your peace” (Luke 19:42). So it often goes with us. We do not recognize that it is Him that makes for our peace and we seek inner peace and tranquility in other ways that may work for a time but the consistent peace of Christ eludes us because we do not recognize that He is the true source of peace.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
“We see around us the consequences when human dignity is devalued and life is exploited. It is into the midst of the plight of humanity and these challenges…We share a Gospel of hope and promise. Christ has become man, and this unique gift to us has become the spiritual foundation for our offering to others in need. In gratitude to Him, in our compassion for our fellow human beings, and as a witness of the greatest gift of all, we offer to those who have lost everything, who carry the burden of despair, who suffer under conditions they cannot control or change, who have been victims of the abuse of others. They need to hear and see that God has given Himself to them, that His grace is revealed through Christ so that they might have hope and true life.” (Archbishop Demetrios)
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