Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 6: Clement of Alexandria, Part 1 Introducing the theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present. This Episode, "Clement of Alexandria, Part 1”, is a presentation of Clement’s apophatic theology (influenced by his Greek cultural heritage), set side-by-side with his deep devotion to Jesus Christ and love of Holy Scripture. In this episode, Dr. Ch...
Dec 16, 2023•27 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Send us a text Episode 8: “On Love”, Pt 1 Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" Based on the reading of excerpts from the chapter, “On Love”, from St. Sophrony’s masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , this eighth episode includes such theme as love for one’s enemies, angelic song, repentance, and the practice of humility. Dr. Christopher Veniamin is a spiritual child of St. Sophrony. It i...
Dec 16, 2023•48 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Send us a text Episode 7: “On Love”, Pt 1 Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" Based on the reading of excerpts from the chapter, “On Love”, from St. Sophrony’s masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , this seventh episode includes such theme as love for one’s enemies, angelic song, repentance, and the practice of humility. Dr. Christopher Veniamin is a spiritual child of St. Sophrony. It ...
Dec 07, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 5: Irenaeus of Lyons, Part 2 Introducing the theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present. This Episode, "Irenaeus of Lyons, Part 2”, is the continuation of Part 1, which was the Introduction to St. Irenaeus of Lyons. A spiritual child of St. Polycarp of Smyrna, and thus a spiritual grandchild of St. John the Theologian, Evangelist and belove...
Dec 02, 2023•49 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Send us a text Recording of the first session of our Bookclub, which took place on Wednesday, September 27, 2023 (at 9 PM Eastern Time), available to the public. We started our spiritual itinerary with Sts. Silouan and Sophrony, the Athonites, by reading the first few paragraphs from St. Silouan's own writings, specifically Chapter XVI, "Concerning Spiritual Warfare" - getting right into the nitty-gritty of "applied theology", one might say. For your convenience, the page numbering is from 423 t...
Nov 29, 2023•54 min
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 2: Irenaeus of Lyons Episode 4: Irenaeus of Lyons, Part 1 Introducing the theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present. This Episode, "Irenaeus of Lyons, Part 1", is an introduction to Irenaeus of Lyons, a spiritual child of St. Polycarp of Smyrna, and thus a spiritual grandchild of St. John the Theologian, Evangelist and beloved disciple of Chr...
Nov 24, 2023•23 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 6: “Discovering the Will of God”, Part 3 Based on the reading of excerpts from St. Sophrony’s chapter, “The Staretz’ Doctrinal Teaching”, from his masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , this sixth episode will continue the discussion regarding the mystery of “Discovering the Will of God”, as presented by Sts. Silouan and Sophrony ...
Nov 18, 2023•26 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 1: Introduction Episode 3: Philo of Alexandria, Part 2 Introducing the theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present. This Episode, "Philo of Alexandria, Part 2", consists of a presentation of Philo, an Alexandrian rabbi of the first century, who was a near contemporary of Jesus Christ, and sought to introduce the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of...
Nov 11, 2023•30 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 5: “Discovering the Will of God”, Part 2 Based on the reading of excerpts from St. Sophrony’s chapter, “The Staretz’ Doctrinal Teaching”, from the masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , this fifth episode will discuss the mystery of “Discovering the Will of God”, as presented by Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites, two of the ...
Nov 08, 2023•29 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 1: Introduction Episode 2: Philo of Alexandria, Part 1 Introducing the theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present. This Episode, "Philo of Alexandria, Part 1", consists of a presentation of Philo, an Alexandrian rabbi of the first century, who was a near contemporary of Christ, and sought to introduce the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob...
Nov 05, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 4: “Discovering the Will of God”, Part 1 Based on the reading of excerpts from St. Sophrony’s chapter, “The Staretz’ Doctrinal Teaching”, from the masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , this fourth episode will discuss the mystery of “Discovering the Will of God”, as presented by Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites, two of the...
Oct 28, 2023•54 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 1: Introduction Episode 1: Holy Scripture & Greek Philosophy Introducing the theology and spiritual life of the Orthodox Church, with particular reference to the Holy Bible and the witness of the Church Fathers, past and present. This Unit, "Holy Scripture & Greek Philosophy", consists of a presentation of select passages from Holy Scripture and a discussion of the language of the Bible, in both Old and New Testaments. Followed by a brief pre...
Oct 26, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 3: “On the Knowledge of God”, Part 3, & “Concerning Obedience”, Part 1 Based on the reading of excerpts from Silouan’s chapters, “On the Knowledge of God” and “Concerning Obedience”, from the masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , by St. Sophrony the Athonite, this third episode will delve a little more deeply into the mystery...
Oct 21, 2023•42 min•Season 2Ep. 3
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 2: “On the Knowledge of God”, Part 2 Based on the reading of excerpts from Silouan’s chapter, “On the Knowledge of God”, from the masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite, by St. Sophrony the Athonite, this second episode will focus on such fundamental questions as “What is theology?”, “Who is a theologian?”, and “How does one theolog...
Oct 13, 2023•30 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 1: “On the Knowledge of God”, Part 1 Based on the reading of excerpts from Silouan’s chapter, “On the Knowledge of God”, from the masterpiece, Saint Silouan the Athonite , by St. Sophrony the Athonite, this first episode will focus on such fundamental questions as “What is theology?”, “Who is a theologian?”, and “How does one theolog...
Oct 07, 2023•32 min•Season 2Ep. 1
Send us a text Series : Mystical Theology Unit 14: Gregory Palamas Episode 7: Conclusions Are you ready to unravel the profound mysteries of Orthodox theology? We promise an enlightening journey as we immerse ourselves in the world of theosis and the revelation of God. Our exploration mentions briefly the significant contributions of Dionysius the Areopagite and the criticisms put forth by William of Ockham against Scholasticism's realist view. We tackle the notion that neither the analogia enti...
Sep 30, 2023•25 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Send us a text Series : Mystical Theology Unit 14: Gregory Palamas Episode 6: Triumph of Ascetic Theology Over Intellectualism The sixth episode in our series presents the differing perspectives of Palamas’ three theological opponents, who curiously shared a common intellectualistic approach to matters theological, which gradually, since Augustine of Hippo, became the fundamental approach of the West: philosophical speculation. A word is also offered regarding St. Gregory’s capture by the Ottoma...
Sep 22, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Send us a text Series : Mystical Theology Unit 14: Gregory Palamas Episode 5: Epistemological Presuppositions The fifth episode in our series discusses the philosophical background to the debate between St. Gregory Palamas and Nicephorus Gregoras, which took place at the 1351 Council of Constantinople. Themes covered in this episode include the influence of Greek philosophy (particularly that of Plato and Aristotle) on the anti-Hesychasts of the 14th century, the relevance of the debate between ...
Sep 16, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 5
Send us a text Series : Mystical Theology Unit 14: Gregory Palamas Episode 4: Iconography & Knowledge of God through Prayer The fourth episode in our series discusses the characteristics of Hesychast iconography and the two forms of knowledge: human or created knowledge and knowledge of God. Themes covered in this episode include the erroneous employment of analogy in the post-Augustinian Western theological tradition, explaining why in the Orthodox Biblical and Patristic tradition there is ...
Sep 08, 2023•27 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Send us a text Series : Mystical Theology Unit 14: Gregory Palamas Episode 3: The Jesus Prayer and Yoga The third episode in our series discusses the vision of God as experienced by St. Gregory and the Hesychasts through the practice of the Jesus Prayer. In his defense of noetic prayer - the prayer of the heart - St. Gregory presents the Orthodox understanding of the vision of God. Themes covered in this episode include what is meant by unceasing prayer, Abba Lucius and the Euchites, in the Sayi...
Sep 02, 2023•30 min•Season 1Ep. 3
Send us a text Episode 2: The Emperor’s 6 Questions The second episode in this series of presentations discusses the 3rd Hesychast Council of 1351, with St. Gregory championing the Orthodox Faith against the philosophical theology of Nicephorus Gregoras, the Christian Roman Empire’s leading intellectual of this period. Gregoras is the third and most formidable theological opponent of Palamas. Themes covered in this 2nd Episode include bishops’ confession of faith at consecration, iconography, th...
Aug 26, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Send us a text Series : Mystical Theology Unit 14: Gregory Palamas Episode 1: Prolegomena The first episode in this series of presentations is of an introductory character, touching briefly on each of the main themes contained in Palamas, and sets up the scene for a more in-depth treatment of St Gregory’s ascetico-theological vision. Throughout these presentations, reference will be made to Holy Scripture and to many of the Holy Fathers. A wide range of themes will be covered, including the natu...
Aug 12, 2023•37 min•Season 1Ep. 1
