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

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 25: “What Is Meant By The Spiritual Life?”, Part 6 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 6 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 25 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we attempt to outline some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Orthodox spiritual life. Other themes broached in this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Further bibliography may be found in our "Scholar's Corner" webpage. Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Academy on Patreon: Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: ...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 24: “De Trinitate”, Book IX, Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 5, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 5 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 24 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we conclude our remarks on St. Augustine’s “Commentary on Ps. 134:3 (135:3)”, and then begin reading from Book IX of his “de Trinitate”. Particular attention is given to Augustine’s understanding of “sure knowledge” in the Life to Come in contrast to the Patristic understanding of the vision of God, as expressed by St. Irenaeus of Lyons. Other themes broached in this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Further bibliography may be found in our "Scholar's Corner" webpage. Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Academy on Patreon: Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: ...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 23: “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good” (Ps. 135:3), Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 4, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 4 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 23 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we discuss the significance of St. Augustine's commentary of Psalm 135:3: “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good”. Other themes broached in this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Further bibliography may be found in our "Scholar's Corner" webpage. Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Academy on Patreon: Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: ...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 22: Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 3, Revelation of "I AM" (Exod. 3:18), with Prof. Christopher Veniamin In Part 3 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 22 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we discuss St. Augustine's understanding of the revelation of "I AM", given to Moses on Sinai (Exod. 3:14). See Timestamps for other thmes. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Further bibliography may be found in our "Scholar's Corner" webpage. Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Academy on Patreon: Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: ...

Episode 9: Holy Myrrh and Holy Relics Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" “Holy Myrrh and Holy Relics”, Episode 9 in our series, "John of the Ladder, is based on the readings, “About Menas” and “About Saint Acacius”. In it, inter alia, Prof. Christopher Veniamin discusses the significance of holy myrrh and holy relics. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Episode 8: How to Deal with Pain and Suffering Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 8 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin reads the sections “Macedonius the archdeacon” and “Again about the steward”, who are placed before us as an examples of Christlike humility. Themes include accepting injustice, how the Saints deal with suffering and the enemy, thoughts, reason and the imagination, the noetic and rational faculties, following the way of Christ, and the need for guidance. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 21: Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 2, Analogies, with Prof. Christopher Veniamin In Part 2 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 21 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we present the terminology of St. Augustine's "analogies of Trinity". Our episode begins with a brief clarification regarding Augustine’s two sources of divine revelation: Holy Scripture (analogy of faith) and creation (analogy of being); and then proceeds to refer to Augustine’s place in the study of Patristic theology in the West. Other themes broached in this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Episode 7: Compassion, the Body, and St. Abbacyrus Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 7 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin talks about the compassion of the Saints, the place of the human body in the spiritual life, and the remarkable example of St. Abbacyrus, who teaches us how to handle adversity. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 20: Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 1, Introduction, Episode 20 in Mystical Theology, with Prof. C. Veniamin In Part 1 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 20 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we present the theology of the most influential Christian figure in Western thought. Our introduction begins by making reference to Augustine’s seminal work on the Trinity, and setting the context of his approach to the mystery by identifying his two sources of divine revelation: faith (Holy Scripture) and philosophy (analogy of being). Other themes broached in this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022) ; The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016) ; The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022) ; and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 6 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin discusses the benefits for lay folk of reading literature that is intended first and foremost for a monastic audience. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 19: "Hypostasis": the Threeness of God, The Cappadocian Fathers, Pt 4, Prof. Christopher Veniamin In Part 4 of “The Cappadocian Fathers”, Episode 19 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we present the doctrine of the mystery of the Threefoldness of God. Themes broached are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022): https://mountthabor.com/products/saint-gregory-palamas-the-homilies ; The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016): https://mountthabor.com/products/the-orthodox-understanding-of-salvation-by-dr-christopher-veniamin ; and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

St Isidore, St Laurence & St Sophrony, in John of the Ladder, Ep 5, Prof. C. Veniamin Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 5 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin presents two great examples of Christian obedience, St Isidore and St Laurence, and also adds a story from the life of his spiritual father, St Sophrony the Athonite; all of which serve to illustrate that inspired obedience in the Orthodox Christian tradition is nothing less than the practice of Christlike humility. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 18: The Cappadocian Fathers, Pt 3: The "Monarchy" of God the Father, Ep 18, Prof. Christopher Veniamin In Part 3 of “The Cappadocian Fathers”, which is Episode 18 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we present the doctrine of the “Monarchy” of the Father in the context of the mystery of the Triune God. Themes broached are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022): https://mountthabor.com/products/saint-gregory-palamas-the-homilies ; The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016): https://mountthabor.com/products/the-orthodox-understanding-of-salvation-by-dr-christopher-veniamin ; and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

St Sophrony and the Divine Liturgy, John of the Ladder, Ep 4, Prof. C. Veniamin Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 4 in the series, "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin takes the opportunity to describe something of what it was like to experience the Divine Liturgy when St. Sophrony was serving. Serving in the Holy Altar for a number of years in his youth, watching his spiritual father (and the other holy fathers, genuine deciples of of the Saint) celebrate the Divine Liturgy with humble reverence and prayerful attentiveness, an indelible mark was imprinted "in his mind and in his heart". Themes covered in this episode include the Liturgy of Basil the Great, the significance of the "Epiklesis", the Liturgy teaches us how to worship God: Abba Dorotheus, the educational role of the Church, What we do in church reveals our spiritual state, and others, which are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 17: The Cappadocian Fathers, Part 2: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, "Mystical Theology", Episode 17, Prof. C. Veniamin Episode 17 of our “Mystical Theology” series is deeper probe in to the trinitarian theology of the great Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, and also Amphilochius of Iconium. Following a reading of Letter 234 on the Essence–Energies distinction, we explore the various ways that the Cappadocians affirm the oneness of God the Holy Trinity, in preparation for their seminal teaching of the Monarchy of God the Father, and the mystery of the Threeness of God. Themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 17 available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Obedience to One's Spiritual Father, “On Obedience”, Pt 3, John of the Ladder, Ep 3, Dr. C. Veniamin Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" Based on the reading of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, one of the most influential writings in the history of spirituality, the purpose of this series is to introduce the audience to the fundamental themes of obedience and repentance in the context of striving to discover the will of God, and to live according to Christ’s commandments, which constitutes the daily challenge of every Christian. Presented by Prof. Christopher Veniamin, a spiritual child of St. Sophrony. Some of the themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 3 available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

MT Academy “Holy Saturday, Gen. 1:1–13”, Orthodox Bible Study, Session 2, with Dr. C. Veniamin (Feb 13, 2024) Teaser Recording of the second session of our Bible Study, which took place on Tuesday, February 13, 2024 (at 9 PM Eastern Time). Discussion of the first reading for Holy Saturday, Gen. 1:1–13. See also the Timestamps below. 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. Embark on a spiritual odyssey with us as we weave through the mystical dimensions of Orthodox Christianity's view on the Genesis creation narrative. Grasp the profound concept of creation ex nihilo, where all sprung into existence from the void, through the illuminating teachings of Saint Gregory Palamas and Saint Maximus the Confessor. We unveil the majestic tapestry of the first three days of creation, deciphering the enigmatic name 'Elohim' and unveiling the whispers of the Holy Trinity within the Spirit of God, Ruach Elohim. We draw the lines connecting Christ, the Alpha and Omega, to the Hebrew alphabet's very own aleph and tau, painting a picture of the divine artistry at the heart of everything. Wander the hallowed halls of the Orthodox tradition with us, where the sacred text of the Bible is not simply read but lived, contextualized by the collective wisdom of the Holy Fathers. In our shared contemplation, we discover the pivotal role of Church services and sacred hymnography in bringing Scripture to life, and how they guide us on our path towards spiritual purification, illumination, and sanctification. Join us in contrasting the ephemeral perfectionism sought by the world with the enduring example of Christ's humility, love, and mercy, as we reveal how the Gospel molds the Church, creating a sanctuary for the Word made flesh. Finally, we delve into the lived Christian experience, sharing personal reflections on invoking the Lord's name during life's trials, and considering suffering as a crucible for spiritual focus and balance. We navigate the contrasts between Protestant and Orthodox approaches to faith and reason, celebrating the Orthodox tradition of worship and heart-felt experiencing of the divine. As we close this chapter, we Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 16: The Cappadocian Fathers, Part 1: Introduction, Prof. C. Veniamin Episode 16 of our “Mystical Theology” series is an introduction to the remarkable contribution of the Cappadocian Fathers: Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa, and also Amphilochius of Iconium. Athanasius the Great had emphasized the mystery of the Oneness of the Son and Word of God with God the Father, by means of their "consubstantiality"; while the Cappadocians, building on the work of Athanasius, formulated the teaching of the Church regarding the mystery of the Threeness of God. Themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 16 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016); and Metropolitan Hierotheos Vlachos, Empirical Dogmatics of the Orthodox Catholic Church: According to the Spoken Teaching of Father John Romanides, Vol. 1 (2012), Vol. 2 (repr. ed. 2020). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

MT Academy Bookclub, Saint Silouan the Athonite, “Spiritual Warfare”, Bookclub, Part 3, St. Silouan, Special Edition, Episode 3, with Dr. C. Veniamin (Nov 29, 2023) Recording of the third session of our Bookclub, which took place on Wednesday, Novermber 29, 2023 (at 9 PM Eastern Time), available to channel members only. 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". For your convenience, the page numbering is from 423ff in the older edition of Saint Silouan the Athonite; and pp. 373ff in the more recent SVS edition. 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 available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended background reading: Saint Silouan the Athonite, by St. Sophrony the Athonite (https://mountthabor.com/products/st-silouan-the-athonite); Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (https://mountthabor.com/products/saint-gregory-palamas-the-homilies); and The Enlargement of the Heart, by Archimandrite Zacharias (https://mountthabor.com/products/the-enlargement-of-the-heart-2nd-ed). Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...

Episode 2: Parenting and Parish Priests, “On Obedience”, Pt 2, Ep 2, in John of the Ladder Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" Based on the reading of The Ladder of Divine Ascent, one of the most influential writings in the history of spirituality, the purpose of this series is to introduce the audience to the fundamental themes of obedience and repentance in the context of striving to discover the will of God, and to live according to Christ’s commandments, which constitutes the daily challenge of every Christian. Presented by Prof. Christopher Veniamin, a spiritual child of St. Sophrony. Some of the themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. 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 Hierotheos Vlachos, 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 2024 Support the show Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support The Professor's Blog Further bibliography may be found in our Scholar's Corner. THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Memberships Join our Patreon for Membership Tiers YouTube Membership Levels Contact us: info@mo...