St. Spyridon the Wonderworker, Bp. of Tremithus

 

#VladimirDjambov; #Orthodox; #Talmach; #PraBlah

Troparion — Tone 1

You were revealed as a champion of the First Council /
and a wonderworker, our God-bearing father Spyridon. /
You spoke to one dead in the grave /
and transformed a serpent into gold. /
While chanting your holy prayers /
you had angels serving with you! /
Glory to Him Who gave you strength! /
Glory to Him Who granted you a crown! /
Glory to Him Who through you grants healing to all!

 

Kontakion — Tone 2

Wounded by the love of Christ, /
all-holy one, your mind was given
wings through the light of the Spirit, /
you found work in active contemplation,
God-pleasing Spyridon, /
becoming a divine sacrifice, /
and imploring divine illumination for all.

Dec. 19th, 2020 [svidetel, attestor]

 

                                                                                    Translated from Russian

Dec. 19th, 2020

 

Another level of salvific sadness, not despondency, but love expressed this way – a higher one which is that you begin to cry not for yourself, not for your forlorn life, not for yourself, or even for your sins, which is already salvific in the stead of pity for yourself (this is very difficult to overcome and it is difficult to move on to a higher, more purely spiritual [level], to overcome your human mental anguish, and move on to spiritual experience), not even for your relatives and friends [kin], – but to cry for the human race, starting at least [and this is important] from your country.

Unhappy and pitiful, such are the good, even cute, in essence, and calm as if sleeping – you are all [fully] open before the Lord, your whole life before Him, – what do you hope for, not seeing the terrible danger that threatens you, and which you now in your condition cannot escape? Where are you going, not realizing that you are passing by the most important thing that could [possibly] save you? Not taking a thought, light-headedly, taking comfort for yourself with some kind of consolation, fleeting consolations, and self-deception? What is valuable in your life? – a moment shall pass, and you will forget what you were chasing, what you ruined your priceless life for. Virtually as if the winds are blowing and you take up away with them.

What's the point in this? There is no point!

Like little children, you – adults who consider themselves super-smart, what are you doing? Well, indeed this is nothing ...

Miserable and blind - you cause only pain with your emptiness and meaningless unwillingness for the Truth. Your condition causes [the] endless sorrow of hell, exactly the same as all sinful souls see [it] there: a hopeless, heartbreaking, never-saturable melancholy of which there is no limit or end, [virtually] as if all these endless "no-nesses" associated with what you consider to be life were united together ... The desert, the icy wilderness as the gloomy kingdom of Tartar, and the scorched land of the spiritual desert from where there is no return.

How to leave you, and what is to be with you? – this is only an excruciating pain. How to live in this desert where there is no place for anything truly living, fruit-bearing? Why is this so, O Lord? How to pray for you if you do not hear a word or a sound of the prayer, and not a single heart of yours would rise, would will heaven? How to ask for you if you have already died and it is impossible to resurrect you?

Lord, what is this endless pain for when it comes? - and it comes [quite] often. Where is the end to this, and will that be in something?...

VISIBLE AS ON A PALM

Temporal

The Whole Program and

Picture of the Years to Come –

VISIBLE AS ON A PALM

Protodeacon Herman: By the Decade of Spiritual Fall - May 17, 2007 / May 17, 2017

Author: Protodeacon German incl. 16 May 2017. Published in Авторская колонка (Views: 230)

Tagged: rpcz, protodeacon german

Toward a Decade of Spiritual Fall

May 17, 2007 / May 17, 2017

To recall the debates, the discords that worried the Russian Orthodox public, and especially in the Diaspora [Zarubezh'ye], 10 years ago and to compare it with today's – we can say – total apathy... All have more or less got used to the trauma that befell us all then. Who now remembers that fact that – in order to better absorb the unlucky Zarubezhniks – the Moscow Patriarchate granted a five-year moratorium – an opportunity for five years not to commemorate the patriarch aloud at divine services (!), which, however, should not have in the slightest overshadowed the fact of his [being the] first-priest! Some kind of child's play, but nevertheless it showed that some could [still] feel a quite understandable feeling of awkwardness. Conscience was somehow still stirring. But even this is no longer [the case] today...

Yes, ten years ago today, the history of the Church included the fact that on the very day when the whole Christian world was celebrating the glorious ASCENSION of the Lord, Orthodox Christians were given the opportunity to observe a great FALL. From the church sky, a once glorious star fell into an abyss.

To this day it is still difficult to understand, to comprehend – how come [something like] this could happen?

How and why such a spiritual spoilage could flourish in – until very recently – uncompromising souls – it is hard to say.

Of course, the sweeping off of the flock and the clergy, and the growing pressure of the surrounding non-Christian environment could play a role. We all know where the world is heading. I remember the sorrowful, but wise words of our late Archbishop Seraphim, when everyone was happy about the fall of the Soviet power. He correctly warned that now we would face the hardest times for us: until now everything had been clear – white was white, black was black, and now everything would turn gray... So it turned out. Repeated to a certain extent was the Old-Testament story of the Tower of Babel and the confusion of languages. Of course, the long-awaited fall of Soviet power infused quite justified joy, but it was both wrong and sinful to not see that with the fall of the power of Evil, that terrible Evil, which we had resisted for decades, had not been rooted out. It had temporarily faded, gone silent, and under all kinds of forms – false forms – was trying to put the conscience of men to sleep. And this, in particular, was manifested through the influx of elements alien to the Zarubezhny spirit, entering the parishes and especially [those] replenishing the ranks of the priesthood. More and more [often] enthusiastic voices were heard, which spoke of a spring [-season] that had engulfed our Church, of a certain revival, whereas in actual fact the salt was being repressed and is still repressed [going insane]...

The shameless lie has naturally played its role – namely the one that patriarchal dignitaries and traitors abroad dissolved [in the air] that Sergianism were – as if – "stricken out", while ecumenism were an issue of the past, which had to be dealt with purely on political grounds, but now [already] one could openly talk about a break away with ecumenism, about a withdrawal out of the World Council of Churches, and so on.

Now that the need to lure people with lies has gone, everyone is free to observe the current state of affairs: Sergius not only has monuments erected today, but ex-zarubezhniks have to admit that, yes, Sergius was [indeed] "saving the Church" by his policy. As for ecumenism, any talk of it is useless effort. There, only days ago we learned about the existence of some strange "Summer Institute" organized by the Papal Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity with the participation of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate. These are only little blossoms of the Havana meeting between the Pope and Cyril Gundyaev, and the fruits lie ahead.

The Gray Cardinal – in every sense of the word – Hilarion Alfeyev celebrated in February the first anniversary of the historic, remarkable meeting at a festive event at the University of Fribourg (Switzerland), where he spoke about these future fruits. We do not know how it is in Russia, but abroad there has been little advertising to that "glorious event", so evidently this delicate moment should remain covered with a modest veil of keeping silent [about it]. And there were things to be ashamed of. And what was one to be afraid of – who knows, maybe conscience would speak out in some? And in actual fact, Hilarion Alfeyev, despite the storm of resentment having arisen among his own flock, burst out there in his usual enthusiastic speaking, in which he frankly summed up the event and opened up the prospects. We know that there is no one deafer than one who does not want to hear, still the same we suggest to those wishing to get acquainted with what expects them in church life by following this link: http://www.pravoslavie.ru/101063.html.

That the MP is going this way, alas, we are not surprised and it is only the blind who cannot see, that is, do not understand, that no improvement is to be expected. Everything has already been pre-planned. The whole program has been laid out. As it was clear that after Alexey Ridiger, Kyrill Gundyaev would come to the supreme power, so now it is clear that he would be replaced by Hilarion Alfeyev. We can only wish Kyrill that this change will not take place under the same so dark and still mysterious conditions, as when he took over power from Alexei... But the whole program and picture of the years to come is visible as on a palm [of one's hand].
ê CONTINUE READING: ê
Read more>> Подробности

The Lie

The Lie

Go, soul, the body's guest,
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best;
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Go, since I needs must die,
And give the world the lie.

Say to the court, it glows
And shines like rotten wood;
Say to the church, it shows
What's good, and doth no good:
If church and court reply,
Then give them both the lie.

Tell potentates, they live
Acting by others' action;
Not loved unless they give,
Not strong but by a faction.
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.

Tell men of high condition,
That manage the estate,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they once reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell them that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending,
Who, in their greatest cost,
Seek nothing but commending.
And if they make reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell zeal it wants devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it is but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust:
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.

Tell age it daily wasteth;
Tell honour how it alters;
Tell beauty how she blasteth;
Tell favour how it falters:
And as they shall reply,
Give every one the lie.

Tell wit how much it wrangles
In tickle points of niceness;
Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in overwiseness:
And when they do reply,
Straight give them both the lie.

Tell physic of her boldness;
Tell skill it is pretension;
Tell charity of coldness;
Tell law it is contention:
And as they do reply,
So give them still the lie.

Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay:
And if they will reply,
Then give them all the lie.

Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell schools they want profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming:
If arts and schools reply,
Give arts and schools the lie.

Tell faith it's fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood shakes off pity
And virtue least preferreth:
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.

So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing--
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing--
Stab at thee he that will,
No stab the soul can kill.

Sir Walter Raleigh

Rev. Antony Pechersky [of the Caves] (983—1073) died 946 years ago on May 7/20 [23JUL, 15SEP, 11OCT]

Rev. Antony Pechersky [of the Caves] (983—1073) died 946 years ago today { May 7/20 } [23JUL, 15SEP, 11OCT]

11 октября - Собор преподобных отцов Киево-Печерских, в Ближних пещерах (прп. Антония) почивающих.

Антоний Печерский (983—1073) — основатель Киево-Печерской лавры, занимает особое место в сонме древнерусских святых и почитается Русскою церковью как «начальник всех Российских монахов», поскольку основанная им на Киевских горах Печерская обитель многие столетия служила центром и школой древнерусского монашества и просвещения для всей Руси. Именем Антония названы Ближние (Антониевы) пещеры Киево-Печерской Лавры.

To [a Mohammedan] Seduce the World...

Един есть истинный Бог и Господь наш Иисус Христос. Магомет же, в которого вы верите, был смертным человеком и необразованным, и в мире сем не сделал ничего хорошего, ни одного чуда не сотворил, в противоположность другим пророкам Божьим, каких имеем мы, христиане. Только вы почитаете его за пророка, а на самом деле он — богоборец и своими вымыслами и фантазиями привлек к себе простой и невежественный народ, так что сбылось предреченное в нем, что он «придет прельщать мир».

ново Мученик (Сеник) Иоанн Кальфа

Source

https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/02/saint-john-kalphes-neomartyr.html

One is the true God and our Lord Jesus Christ. However, Mohammed, in whom you believe, was a mortal and uneducated man, and he did no good in this world, he worked no single miracle, contrary to the other prophets of God that we, Christians, have. Only you esteem him for a prophet, while in actual fact he was a theomachist – and with his fabrications and fantasies he attracted to himself simple and ignorant people, so that what had been foreordained in him came true, namely that he "will come to seduce the world." 

New Martyr John Kalphas (the Apprentice, +1575)

Archim. (Elder) Cleope Illie Romania's Wonderworker

Великий старец Клеопа Илие, Румынский чудотворец

архимандрит Клеопа Илие

Признание [74]

John and I pardon every falsehood of yours

John and I

do pardon

every falsehood.

The Unknown Soldier's Patent Leather Shoes, a 1979 BG movie, (EN subs)

The Unknown Soldier's Patent Leather Shoes, 1979

Priesthood .Священство

T A L M A C H

so much and simple

The source / книга 

ВОЗВРАЩЕНІЕ ИЗЪ МЕРТВЫХЪ ВЪ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ ГРЕЦІИ

T A L M A C H

so much and simple

О. Серафим (Роуз) -
Собрание творений /папка/

THE FUTURE OF RUSSIA AND THE
END OF THE WORLD /archived/

Іером. Серафимъ (Роузъ) († 1982 г.).
ДУША ПОСЛѢ СМЕРТИ. СОВРЕМЕННЫЕ «ПОСМЕРТНЫЕ» ОПЫТЫ ВЪ СВѢТѢ УЧЕНІЯ ПРАВОСЛАВНОЙ ЦЕРКВИ.
(Пер. съ англ., съ прилож. разсказа блаж. Ѳеодоры о мытарствахъ. М., 1991).

...

Архим. Кипріанъ, 
игуменъ монастыря св. Кипріана и Іустины (Фили, Греція). 
ВОЗВРАЩЕНІЕ ИЗЪ МЕРТВЫХЪ ВЪ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ ГРЕЦІИ.

При семъ посылаю Вамъ разсказъ извѣстнаго мнѣ человѣка, который умеръ и ожилъ. Полагаю, что онъ окажется интересенъ Вамъ какъ примѣръ для Вашей серіи статей.

Около четырехъ лѣтъ тому назадъ намъ позвонили съ просьбой пріобщить Св. Тайнъ одну пожилую женщину, вдову, живущую въ пригородѣ Аѳинъ. Она была старостильница, и, будучи почти совсѣмъ прикована къ постели, не могла бывать въ церкви. Хотя обычно мы не совершаемъ такихъ требъ внѣ монастыря и направляемъ людей къ приходскому священнику, тѣмъ не менѣе въ этомъ случаѣ у меня было какое-то чувство, что я долженъ идти, и, приготовивъ Св. Дары, я отправился изъ монастыря. Я обнаружилъ больную лежащей въ бѣдной комнаткѣ: не имѣя своихъ средствъ, она зависѣла отъ сосѣдей, которые приносили ей ѣду и другія необходимыя вещи. Я поставилъ Св. Дары и спросилъ ее, хочетъ ли она въ чемъ-нибудь исповѣдаться. Она отвѣтила: «Нѣтъ, за послѣдніе три года на моей совѣсти ничего нѣтъ, что уже не было бы исповѣдано, но есть одинъ старый грѣхъ, о которомъ я хотѣла бы разсказать Вамъ, хотя и исповѣдовала его многимъ священникамъ». Я отвѣтилъ, что если она уже исповѣдовала его, ей не слѣдуетъ дѣлать этого снова. Но она настаивала, и вотъ что она мнѣ разсказала.

You - and God tête-à-tête

T A L M A C H

so much and simple

Каква е разликата между това да си говориш сам със себе си

и да говориш с Бог?

Ти си бог!

Бог ли си?

Ти - и Бог?

1 - Себе си можеш да излъжеш - макар да се ласкаем, че уж било трудно...

   - Бога - не!

2 - Не можеш сам да дадеш съвет на себе си (подобно на барон Мюнхаузен)

   - всеки друг - може - ако го допуснеш до сърцето си...

(((Може би косата ти е по-издръжлива от съвестта ти?!? Представи си!)))

3 - 40 дни в пустинята са такава хубава метафора на 40 години в нашия динамичен пустинен свят! 

   - Бог ги издържа/премина - и не само Бог! 

(((Когато си на 56 г - сякаш и ти ги издържа/премина - но остана ли същия?!?*))) 

4 - Идеята, че можеш сам да се научиш, сам да научаваш - и сам да си преподаваш... не звучи съвсем достоверно

   - но пък няма и друг начин да се научиш на нещо освен САМ - сам да го поискаш/да се потрудиш/да се надяваш на помощ отвън (не на шестица от тотото - а на изтъркани от пясъка на пустинята подметки...)

5 - И толкова да се изучиш, че да преподаваш и на другите/да им оставиш запис/написан завет... (на вятъра - или на завет?) - ЗАВЕТ за какво - освен послушание ВЪВ ВЯРА!

   - Бог ни учи всички - Той не е извън нас, а в сърцето ни! Но Той е и в сърцето на човека-наш враг! И пак ни учи - не ни наказва - о-о-о колко награди берем ежедневно...

6 - И сами си говорим; и ставаме нечии врагове - и ставаме врагове на самите себе си - защото се отказваме да мислим/чувстваме/виждаме/чуваме/(пред-)усещаме/се опиваме... (от божественото в себе си) - да разбираме/прощаваме/допускаме/допозволяваме (мога ли сам на себе си да кажа : "Допусни, че съм прав, за миг!"? - Не - аз ЗНАЯ, че съм прав - но ако зная и че съм грешен - т.е. ГРЕША, значи - не съм прав! И това също го зная - и не е въпрос на моята воля - нито на моето изволение/щение/желание/копнеж/надежда - а на моята Надежда за Мъдрост с Вяра в Любовта) - ГРЕША! 

   - Един Бог е безгрешен...

   - Един Бог е всемилостив... (че с такива като нас може ли да не е Такъв!)

   - всепрощаващ...

   - Той обича творението си (нали сме Негово подобие - това ни говори тонове!)

   - и не наказва - а води и разкрива на своите... (не на Неговите Си - и не на угодилите Му - а на тия, успели да прозрат през завесата на мътното ни 'огледало' - и преборили се с анти-Христа/демона на 21-ви в. - парите [които не купуват щастие/здраве/приятели - а само отрови (ядове) и капани]

   - и дори не ни съди - поне все още не! 

   - а ни явява чудеса ежедневно и ежеминутно!

7 - Замълчи...
   - чуй как говори Бог и Божието! 

(О-о-о - значи си се научил на нещо! все пак...)

4 октомври 2017 г.

 

You – and God 
tête-à-tête

 

What is the difference between talking to yourself and talking to God?

 

You are God!
Are you god?
You – and God?

 

1 – You can deceive yourself – although we flatter ourselves that it was seemingly so difficult ...

   – [but deceiving] God – we can not!

 

2 – You can't give advice to yourself (like Baron Munchausen)
   – everyone else – can – if you let one [nigh] to your heart ...

 

((Maybe your hair is more durable than your conscience?!? Just imagine!)))

 

3 – 40 days in the desert are such a nice metaphor for 40 years in our dynamic desert world!
   – God endured / passed them – and not only God!

 

((When you are 56 years old – it seems as if you have also endured / passed them – but have you remained the same?!? *)))

 

4 – The idea that you can learn on your own, learn yourself – and teach yourself ... doesn't sound very credible
   – but there is no other way for you to learn anything – other than ON YOUR OWN – to will it yourself / to work hard / to hope for help from outside (not for a jackpot from the lottery – but [hope] for soles worn out by the sand of the desert ...)

 

5 – And to [study and] be so much learned as to teach others / to leave them a record / a written [завÉт] testament... (to the wind** [** – i.e. – to no purpose] – or [зÁвет] shelter from the wind?) – a [завÉт] COVENANT for what – nothing other than obedience IN FAITH!

   – God teaches us all – He is not outside us, but is in our heart! But He is also in the heart of the man – our enemy! And He still teaches us – He does not punish us – oh-oh-oh how many prizes we pick every single day ...

 

6 – And we talk to ourselves; and we become someone's enemies – and we become enemies of ourselves – because we refuse to think / feel / see / hear / (anticipate) sense / get drunk ... (from the divine in ourselves) – to understand / forgive / allow for / to fully allow through (can I say to myself: “Assume than I’m right, just for a moment!”? – No – I DO KNOW that I’m right – but if I know also that I’m wrong – i.e. that I SIN, then – I am not right! And this I also know – and it is not a matter of my will – nor of my willingness [and pleasure] / desire / wish / longing / hope – but [a matter] of my Hope for Wisdom with Faith in Love) – I SIN!
 – God alone is sinless ...;
 – God alone is all-merciful ... (well, with people like us may He not be Such!);
 – all-forgiving ...;
 – He loves His creation (we are His likeness are we not – and this tells us tons!);
 – and He does not punish – but [He] leads and reveals to His ... (not to His Own – and not to those who have pleased Him – but to those who have managed to see through the veil of our murky 'mirror' – and have overcome the anti-Christ / the demon of the 21st century – money [which does not buy happiness / health / friends – but only poisons (angers) and traps]
 – and He even does not judge us – at least not yet!
 – but He shows us miracles every day and every minute!

 

7 – Shush ...
 – hear the way ==God== and ==the God’s== speak!

 

(Oh, oh, oh – so you have learned something! after all ...)

 

October 4, 2017 [transl. June 6, 2022]

GOD's 20171001 The

T A L M A C H

so much and simple

БОЖИЕ 20171001 ТО

List of photos' names: 

ИБМ Молченская

Икортский монастырь близ Гори

часовня Казанской иконы Божьей Матери - все, что осталось от Казанского собора в Вязниках

В 2000 году Минусинский Сретенский кладбищенский храм ---
выгорел и в настоящее время не действует, фото 2006 года

Владимирский храм, Оптина Пустынь

Церковь Троицы Живоначальной - Рамешки - Рамешковский район - Тверская -------
область, восстанавливается, фото ноябрь 2014 года

Казанский собор в Вязниках, фото 1910 года

ИБМ Старорусская

сщмч. Амфилохий Скворцов в лагере

ИБМ Целительница

/left to right; top to bottom - smile and pardon/

7 by 7 Cyrillic I ponder much and the foundation of my creativity [work] is the Most-High Source always.

T A L M A C H

so much and simple

Аз пък ще гледам към Господа,         Therefore I will look unto the LORD;

ще се уповавам на Бога на моето спасение:       I will wait for the God of my salvation:

Бог мой ще ме чуе.                                   my God will hear me.

Михей 7:7                                                      Micah 7:7

В квадрат 7 на 7

Първи ред:
– Аз Бога познавам, говоря добро, значи существувам.
Втори ред:
– Животът изобилства на Земята, когато истината вселенска е в единение с Бога.
Трети ред:
– За всички мислещи хора само Той (Бог) изрича покой.
Четвърти ред:
– Словото, утвърдено свише, призовава уверенно да се държат устоите на мъдростта на доброто за завършване на пътя към присъединяване към хармонията за ново начало.
Пети ред:
– Защитата на границите нашата земя и растеж обеспечават Божие покровителство, и нашето единство.
Шести ред:
– Хармоничното развитие и потенциалът за растеж за моя род и за мен, как негова част, зависи от Всевишния източник и от историята на рода.
Седми ред:
– Смисълът на живота е в стремеж за усъвършенствуване на духа и душата до пълното съзряване в съвършена личност във вечността.

Вертикално 1-ва колонка:
– Моят живот е като мисъл, облечена в звук, стремящ се към хармония, най-малката частица на разума във Вселената.
2-ра колонка:
– Бог создава около хората твърда граница и ги направлява към самоъсъвършенстване.
3-та колонка:
– Познаването на Земята и размишлението за него призовават покой на духа на нашия род (народа).
4-та колонка:
– Да се говори истината е наша традиция, наша защита, част от нашата душа. (В какво е силата, брате? – В Правдата!)
5-а колонка:
– Благото на Вселената е в това, че Бог Творец уверено и твърдо твори растеж на всичко за пълного съзряване на семената.
6-а колонка:
– Същността на битието на човешкото общество е в мира, покоя, равновесието, хармонията, единството с Всевишния Източник за съвършена душа.
7-а колонка:
– Съществуващият небесен Источник носи в нашия свят и началото на всичко и растеж на всичко, и опит на хората с времето.

Диагонал отгоре надолу и отляво надясно:
– Аз много размишлявам и основание на моето творчество е всевишният Източник винаги.

The Language of God: Francis S. Collins

T A L M A C H
so much and simple

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The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief / 

(Божий Язык ) Доказательство Бога: Аргументы ученого чтоб поверить

Год выпуска: 2006
Автор: Francis S. Collins / Фрэнсис Коллинз
Исполнитель: Francis S. Collins
Язык: Английский
Тип: аудиокнига
Аудио кодек: MP3
Битрейт аудио: 64 kbps
Описание:
Collins, a pioneering medical geneticist who once headed the Human Genome Project, adapts his title from President Clinton's remarks announcing completion of the first phase of the project in 2000: "Today we are learning the language in which God created life." Collins explains that as a Christian believer, "the experience of sequencing the human genome, and uncovering this most remarkable of all texts, was both a stunning scientific achievement and an occasion of worship." This marvelous book combines a personal account of Collins's faith and experiences as a genetics researcher with discussions of more general topics of science and spirituality, especially centering around evolution. Following the lead of C.S. Lewis, whose Mere Christianity was influential in Collins's conversion from atheism, the book argues that belief in a transcendent, personal God — and even the possibility of an occasional miracle — can and should coexist with a scientific picture of the world that includes evolution. Addressing in turn fellow scientists and fellow believers, Collins insists that "science is not threatened by God; it is enhanced" and "God is most certainly not threatened by science; He made it all possible." Collins's credibility as a scientist and his sincerity as a believer make for an engaging combination, especially for those who, like him, resist being forced to choose between science and God.

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