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

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 (https://mountthabor.com/products/st-silouan-the-athonite); 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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

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 sta Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 15: Athanasius the Great, Part 5: On God the Word, Pt 3, “On the Incarnation”, Part 2, Prof. C. Veniamin Episode 15 of our “Mystical Theology” series consists of Part 2 of our reading of excerpts from his famous, “On the Incarnation of the Word”. Themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 15 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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Episode 1: How to Find a Spiritual Father, in John of the Ladder, “On Obedience”, Part 1, Ep 1 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. Q&As related to Episode 1 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: The Ladder of Divine Ascent (Holy Transfiguration Monastery); and Saint Silouan the Athonite, by St. Sophrony the Athonite; and The Enlargement of the Heart, by Archimandrite Zacharias Join The Mount Thabor Academy! Patreon MEMBERSHIP TIERS Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy classes! https://www.patreon.com/themountthaboracademy/membership YouTube MEMBERSHIP - FRIENDS AND READERS Click on the Join button below our videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! https://www.youtube.com/@TheMTPAcademy Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 14: Athanasius the Great, Part 4: On God the Word, 2 & “On the Incarnation”, 1 Episode 14 of our “Mystical Theology” series consists of Part 2 of our presentation of God the Word according to St. Athanasius the Great, and includes the reading of excerpts from his famous, “On the Incarnation of the Word”. Themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 14 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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Episode 15: “Intrusive Thoughts”, Part 2, St. Silouan the Athonite (Fuller Treatment) Unit 16: “Sts. Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Based on the reading of St. Sophrony’s masterful introduction to Saint Silouan the Athonite, “Intrusive Thoughts”, Part 2 offers a fuller treatment of one of the most important subjects in the Orthodox spiritual life, and one which is especially helpful for spiritual fathers and leaders of the Church. Some of the themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Presented by Prof. Christopher Veniamin, a spiritual child of St. Sophrony. Q&As related to Episode 15 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 Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 7bis: Conclusions (Better Sound Quality) Episode 7bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an *enhanced sound quality* version of the original episode (with new title credits at the beginning, and an end card, plus an appeal for support tagged on at the end), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. What was Hesychasm really all about? And why is it still relevant to us today in the 21st century? The final episode in this unit is by way of conclusion, consisting of observations regarding the role and significance of St. Gregory Palamas in the life of the Orthodox Church, specifically, and in the history of Christian doctrine more generally. Dr. Veniamin’s purpose is simply to remind us of the ascetic and pastoral context of Hesychast theology, which is the life of the people of God, going back to the patriarchs, prophets and saints of all generations - it is the life of that prayer and stillness which prepares us for the encounter with God. Q&As related to Episode 7 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 6bis: Triumph of Ascetic Theology Over Philosophical Speculation (Better Sound Quality) Episode 6bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an *enhanced sound quality* version of the original episode (with new title credits at the beginning, and an end card, plus an appeal for support tagged on at the end), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. The sixth episode presents the differing perspectives of Palamas’ three theological opponents, Barlaam, Akindynus and Gregoras, 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. Themes covered in this episode include why the essence-energies distinction is not ditheism; Palamas’ disarming distinction between “Antilogia” and “Homologia”; St. Gregory held hostage by the Ottoman Turkss in 1354; and the outcome of Palamas’ discussion with the Turkish Mullah. Q&As related to Episode 6 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 5bis: Epistemological Presuppositions (Better Sound Quality) Episode 5bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an *enhanced sound quality* version of the original episode (with new title credits at the beginning, and an end card, plus an appeal for support tagged on at the end), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. In this fifth part, we discuss 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 Nominalists and Realists in the western Middle Ages, and the experiential, non-philosophical and non-dialectical "essence-energies" distinction in the ascetic tradition of the Orthodox Church. See also the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 5 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 4bis: Iconography & Knowledge of God through Prayer (Better Sound Quality) Episode 4bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an enhanced sound quality version of the original episode (with new title credits at the beginning, and an end card, plus an appeal for support tagged on at the end), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. What was Hesychasm really all about? And why is it still relevant to us today in the 21st century? In this fourth part, we discuss the accusation of Iconoclasm leveled against the Hesychasts, and Prayer as the chief means by which knowledge of God is attained. The main themes covered in this presentation are included in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 4 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); The Transfiguration of Christ in Greek Patristic Literature (2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 3bis: The Jesus Prayer & Yoga (Better Sound Quality) Episode 3bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an *enhanced sound quality* version of the original episode (with new title credits at the beginning, and an end card, plus an appeal for support tagged on at the end), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. What was Hesychasm really all about? And why is it still relevant to us today in the 21st century? In this third part, we discuss the accusation of Messalianism leveled against the Hesychasts, the practice of the Jesus Prayer, its relationship to Yoga, and the place of the body in prayer and worship. The main themes covered in this presentation are included in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 3 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 2bis: The Emperor’s 6 Questions (Better Sound Quality) Episode 2bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an *enhanced sound quality* version of the original episode (with new title credits at the beginning, and an end card, plus an appeal for support tagged on at the end), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. What was Hesychasm really all about? And why is it still relevant to us today in the 21st century? In this second part, we discuss the six incisive questions posed by Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus himself during the 1351 Council of Constantinople, which signaled the formal end of the Hesychast debates, between St. Gregory Palamas and his three main theological opponents: Barlaam the Calabrian, Gregory Akindynos, and Nicephorus Gregoras (Gregory’s third and most formidable theological opponent). The main themes covered in this presentation are included in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Episode 1 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Unit 14: St. Gregory Palamas: An Introduction, Prof. Christopher Veniamin Episode 1bis: Prolegomena Episode 1bis of “Gregory Palamas: An Introduction” is mainly an enhanced sound quality version of the original episode (with a new title credit and end card, plus an appeal for support), which introduces the "Hesychast Controversy" of the 14th century in the declining decades of the Christian Roman Empire. What was Hesychasm really all about? And why is it still relevant to us today in the 21st century? In this first part, we outline the nature and significance of the debate between St. Gregory and his three main theological opponents: Barlaam the Calabrian, Gregory Akindynos, and Nicephorus Gregoras. Themes covered include the Vision of God; the Essence-Energies Distinction; God revealed as Light; the Tri-Hypostatic Character of the Light; and the Sanctification of the Human Body. We shall also touch upon such topics as the Stigmata and the Mystery of the Transfiguration; the Beatific Vision; Speaking in Tongues and the Humble Way of Christ; Latin Ecclesiology vs Direct Unmediated Experience of God; and the Glorification or Deification (theosis) of the entire human person, body and soul. Q&As related to Episode 1 available in The Professor’s Blog. Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022); and The Orthodox Understanding of Salvation: "Theosis" in Scripture and Tradition (2016). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 13: Athanasius the Great, Part 3: On God the Word, 1 In Episode 13 of our “Mystical Theology” series, we turn to St. Athanasius’ masterful defense of the Orthodox Faith, in his great works “Against the Gentiles” and “On the Incarnation of the Word”, and then in his “Against the Arians”, in which he presents the mystery of the Divine Economy culminating in the “enfleshment” of God the Word Himself. Themes covered in this podcast include creation in and through the Logos “out of nothing”, the “theologia – economia” distinction, the fundamental difference between “generation” or “begetting” (from the essence of God the Father) and “creation” (by the will and council of God), and the mystery of the Oneness of God the Holy Trinity in divine revelation. 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). Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Episode 14: “Intrusive Thoughts”, Part 1, St. Silouan the Athonite (Fuller Treatment) 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 St. Sophrony’s masterful introduction to Saint Silouan the Athonite, “Intrusive Thoughts”, Part 1, offers a fuller treatment of one of the most important subjects in the Orthodox spiritual life, and one which is especially helpful for spiritual fathers and leaders of the Church. Some of the themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Presented by Prof. Christopher Veniamin, a spiritual child of St. Sophrony. 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 14 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 Join The Mount Thabor Academy! Patreon MEMBERSHIP TIERS Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy classes! https://www.patreon.com/themountthaboracademy/membership YouTube MEMBERSHIP - FRIENDS AND READERS Click on the Join button below our videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! https://www.youtube.com/@TheMTPAcademy Support the Show. Dr. Christopher Veniamin Support The Mount Thabor Academy https://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Series: Mystical Theology, Special Edition Episode 3: “John Damascene: Christology”, 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. In “John Damascene: Christology”, Part 1, Episode 3 of our Special Editions, we begin our exploration of the Person of Jesus Christ, our Lord, God and Saviour, through Book III of the Damascene’s Exact Exposition of the Orthodox Faith. Based on the translation in to English by S.D.F. Salmond, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Christian Fathers, Series II, vol. ix (New York & Oxford, 1899), pp. 45–73, we shall also consult the Greek text for deeper insights. Some of the themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As related to Special Edition Episode 3 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: From Irenaeus of Lyons to Gregory Palamas (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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

Series: Mystical Theology Episode 12: Athanasius the Great, Pt. 2: What did Arius Believe? 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. In Episode 12 of our “Mystical Theology”, we have Part 2 of our presentation of “Athanasius the Great: What did Arius Believe?”, as a preparation for our overview of St. Athanasius’ defence of the Orthodox Faith against the Arian heresy, which culminates in the glorious proclamation of Christ as true and perfect God by the Council of Nicaea in 325. Some of the themes covered in this podcast are listed in the Timestamps below. 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 12 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 MOUNT THABOR ACADEMY Print Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's Blog eBooks Amazon Google Apple Kobo B&N Membership Options Join our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene’s Christology or Greek Philosophy here: Patreon for Membership Tiers Click on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...