Episode 1: “On the Knowledge of God”, Part 1. “Sts Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Spiritual Life”

Mystical Theology: Introducing the Theology and Spiritual Life of the Orthodox Church

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 theologize?”.
Themes covered include our creation in the image of God, the Commandments of Christ, how to attract the grace of God, and then how to preserve it; the role of the Holy Spirit; and the place of Christlike humility in the life of the Christian. And most especially, how does one live a fully Christian life in the world today?
It is hoped that these presentations will help the enquirer discern the interwoven character of Orthodox theology and the Orthodox Christian life, and to identify the ascetic and pastoral significance of the Orthodox ethos.
Q&As related to Episode 1 available in The Professor’s Blog
Recommended background reading: Saint Silouan the Athonite, by St. Sophrony the Athonite; and The Enlargement of the Heart, by Archimandrite Zacharias
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I wish to express my indebtedness to the spoken and written traditions of Sts Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites, Fr. Zacharias Zacharou, Fr. Kyrill Akon, Fr. Raphael Noica, Fr. Symeon Brüschweiler; Fr. John Romanides, Fr. Pavlos Englezakis, Fr. Georges Florovsky, Prof. Constantine Scouteris, Prof. George Mantzarides, Prof. John Fountoulis, Mtp Kallistos Ware, and Prof. Panayiotes Chrestou. My presentations have been enriched by all of the above sources. Responsibility however for the content of my presentations is of course mine alone. ©Christopher Veniamin 2023

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1. Method and purpose (00:00:00)

2. Role of the Holy Spirit (00:01:54)

3. Beholding the Lord (00:02:20)

4. Love of God for us (00:02:46)

5. "I write out of the grace of God" (00:03:53)

6. The soul recognizes her creator (00:05:21)

7. Love for God (00:07:03)

8. Beyond words (00:08:42)

9. Response to Christ's self-sacrificial love (00:09:50)

10. Theology = vision of Christ by Holy Spirit (00:11:47)

11. "To know" means "to experience" (00:13:10)

12. Soul, mind and body (00:14:39)

13. Silouan's writings (00:17:13)

14. Three levels of writing (00:20:08)

15. An abundance of discernment (00:22:02)

16. The Lord's commandments (00:24:39)

17. Belief in God vs. knowledge of God (00:25:24)

18. Commandments & Holy Spirit (00:26:19)

19. Sermon on the Mount = Christ's self-revelation (00:30:20)

20. Holy Spirit reveals Christ to us (00:31:32)

21. Nothing greater than Christ's commandments (00:31:45)