Episode 4: “Irenaeus of Lyons”, Part 1, in "Mystical Theology", with Dr. Christopher Veniamin

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

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 Christ.
In this episode, Dr. Christopher Veniamin frames Irenaeus’ “Sitz im Leben” - the framework within which his writings are to be understood - and gives special attention to the bishop of Lyons’ spiritual pedigree and also the special place of the vision of God in his theological vision.
It is hoped that these presentations will help the enquirer discern the interwoven character of theology and Christian living, and to identify the ascetic and pastoral significance of the Orthodox ethos.
Q&As related to Episode 4 available The Professor’s Blog.
Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022).
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, Fr. Andrew Louth, and particularly to Mtp Kallistos Ware and Prof. Panayiotes Chrestou: certain sentences and phrases utilized in these presentations are taken directly from my notes of some of their lectures. My presentations have been enriched by all of the above sources, owing to the adoption of certain structures, lists, schemata, and the paraphrasing of themes taken from them. Responsibility for the content of my presentations is of course mine alone. ©Christopher Veniamin 2023

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1. Intro and letter to friend re Polycarp (00:00:00)

2. Spiritual Father and Child Relationship (00:03:39)

3. “Real Moments” (00:04:18)

4. Continuity - Holy Tradition (00:07:50)

5. Continuity - Between the Bible and Tradition (00:08:51)

6. Anti-Philosophical (00:10:35)

7. Personal character of Orthodox Theology (00:10:58)

8. Anti-Philosophical - Against Speculation - Theology personal (00:11:31)

9. Fundamentally Biblical and Pauline “recapitulation” is key (00:12:32)

10. Strong Biblical sense of God’s transcendence (00:13:24)

11. Revelation through Christ and His Grace (00:16:58)

12. Eschatology in Irenaeus (00:20:33)

13. The Vision of God (00:21:19)

14. Full union with God only in Age to Come (00:21:49)

15. Vision of God 1 - Our Life (00:22:36)

16. Vision of God 2 - Embraces our total personhood (00:22:42)

17. Vision of God 3 - Gift of Grace (00:22:49)

18. Vision of God 4 - Experience of Transfiguring Light (00:22:56)

19. Vision of God 5 - Inexhaustible (00:23:03)