Mystical Theology: Introducing the Theology and Spiritual Life of the Orthodox Church
“Mystical Theology: Introducing the Theology and Spiritual Life of the Orthodox Church”, with Prof. Christopher Veniamin
Mystical Theology: 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. Available Units thus far:
Unit 1: Introduction: Holy Scripture, Greek Philosophy, Philo of Alexandria
Unit 2: Irenaeus of Lyons
Unit 3: Clement the Alexandrian
Unit 4: Origen
Unit 5: Athanasius the Great
Unit 6: The Cappadocian Fathers
Unit 7: Augustine of Hippo
Unit 8: John Chrysostom
Unit 9: Cyril of Alexandria
Unit 14: Gregory Palamas
Unit 15: John of the Ladder
Unit 16: Silouan and Sophrony the Athonites
MISCELLANEOUS
Members-only: Special Editions
Empirical Dogmatics: The Theology of Fr. John Romanides
Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies ; and The Enlargement of the Heart, by Archimandrite Zacharias ; 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).
It is hoped that these presentations will help the enquirer discern the profound interrelationship between Orthodox theology and the Orthodox Christian life, and to identify the ascetic and pastoral significance of the Orthodox ethos contained therein.
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
Episodes
Episode 10: “Repentance and The Prison”, in John of the Ladder, Dr. C. Veniamin
Episode 38: The Nestorian Perspective: Intro to Christology, Part 2, Dr. C. Veniamin
Episode 36: Could Christ have sinned? Intro to Christology, Dr. C. Veniamin
Episode 35: John Chrysostom: The Language of Holy Scripture, Eunomius & The Light of Tabor, Dr. C. Veniamin
Episode 33: Conclusions to Augustine, Pt 2: Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses
Episode 32: Conclusions to Augustine, Part 1: Basil the Great & Gregory the Theologian, C. Veniamin
Three Basic Mistakes, Augustine of Hippo, Episode 31, Mystical Theology, Dr. C. Veniamin
Essentialism vs Essence–Energies, Part 9 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orth. Persp., Dr. C. Veniamin
Further Reading & Comm, De Trinitate IX, Pt 8, Augustine of Hippo: An Orth. Persp., Dr. C. Veniamin
Reading & Commentary, De Trinitate IX, Pt 7, Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Persp, Dr. C. Veniamin
“What Is Meant By The Spiritual Life?”, Part 6 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox… Dr. C. Veniamin
Episode 11: “By Way of Conclusion”, in John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin
“De Trinitate”, Book IX, Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 5, Dr. C. Veniamin
“Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good” (Ps. 135:3), Augustine of Hippo, Part 4, Dr. C. Veniamin
Revelation of "I AM", Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 3, Dr. C. Veniamin
Episode 9: Holy Myrrh and Holy Relics, in John of the Ladder, Dr. Christopher Veniamin
Episode 8: How to Deal with Pain and Suffering, in John of the Ladder, Prof. C. Veniamin
Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 2, Analogies, with Prof. Christopher Veniamin
Episode 7: Compassion, the Body, and St. Abbacyrus, in John of the Ladder, Dr. C. Veniamin
Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 1, Introduction, with Prof. C. Veniamin
Episode 6: Relevance of The Ladder for Those Living in the World, John of the Ladder, C. Veniamin
"Hypostasis": the Threeness of God, The Cappadocian Fathers, Pt 4, Prof. Christopher Veniamin
St Isidore, St Laurence & St Sophrony, in John of the Ladder, Ep 5, Prof. C. Veniamin
The Cappadocian Fathers, Pt 3: The "Monarchy" of God the Father, Ep 18, Prof. Christopher Veniamin
St Sophrony and the Divine Liturgy, John of the Ladder, Ep 4, Prof. C. Veniamin
