He must love the fasts and books, and he must gather his strength in solitude to battle for Truth among the multitudes. If someone preaches in season and out of season, as the apostle Paul commanded, let him flee from meals full of idle talk and kowtowing before the rich, in the image of the Golden-Mouthed. Let him unite to his reading and homilies the fervent serving of the Liturgy and an abundance of almsgiving, after the example of the great fathers, and may he sacrifice everything that his mouth might become the mouth of the Word. If someone loves solitude, loves long prayers, and with reluctance pulls his mind away from heaven for the sake of earthly matters, let him look at Gregory—he who, as much as it caused him to suffer, left the desert and took up the cathedra when the Church demanded it—he who neglected himself for the sake of the common good and went to sound forth his homilies with silver trumpets, to fell the thick walls of Jericho. Every man bearing the linen ephod should have at least one of these traits, at least in the most modest of amounts. Refreshing this truth in our minds just might be the main purpose of the Church’s joint veneration of Basil, Gregory, and John. Archpriest Andrei Tkachev Translated by Jesse Dominick Pravoslavie.ru 12 февраля 2017 г.  “Chrysostom” means “Golden-Mouthed.”  St. Gregory is only the second saint in the history of the Church to be officially titled “the Theologian,” the first being St. John the Theologian and Evangelist, and the third and, thus far, final being St. Symeon the New Theologian.  A vestment of the Old Testament priesthood which corresponds to today " s stole, as Fr. Andrei is here using the term.  Подпишитесь на рассылку Православие.Ru Рассылка выходит два раза в неделю: В воскресенье — православный календарь на предстоящую неделю. Новые книги издательства Сретенского монастыря. Специальная рассылка к большим праздникам. Смотри также Комментарии Здесь вы можете оставить к данной статье свой комментарий, не превышающий 700 символов. Все комментарии будут прочитаны редакцией портала Православие.Ru . Ваше имя: Ваш email: Введите число, напечатанное на картинке Осталось символов: 700 Отправить Подпишитесь на нашу рассылку

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Στις 9 Απριλου του 2009 διορσθηκε Προστμενος του Ιερο Ναο Παναγας «Πντων θλιβομνων η χαρ» στην οδ Μπολσγια Ορντνκα της Μσχας . Στις 20 Απριλου του 2009 προχθη στο βαθμ του Αρχιεπισκπου, εν την 1 Φεβρουαρου 2010 του Μητροπολτη απ τον Αγιτατο Πατριρχη Μσχας και Πασν των Ρωσιν κ. Κριλλο. Απ 28 Μαου 2009 εναι μλος του Συμβουλου για τη συνεργασα με θρησκευτικος οργανισμος παρ τον Πρεδρο της Ρωσικς Ομοσπονδας. Απ 27 Ιουλου 2009 εντχθηκε στη Διασυνοδικ Επιτροπ της Ρωσικς Ορθδοξης Εκκλησας και το Προεδρεο αυτς. Τυγχνει Πρεδρος της υποεπιτροπς της Διασυνοδικς Επιτροπς για θματα σχσεων με ετεροδξους και λλες θρησκεες, Αντιπρεδρος της υποεπιτροπς για την αντιμετπιση και την υπρβαση εκκλησιαστικν σχισμτων, μλος της Θεολογικς Επιτροπς και της Επιτροπς για θματα λατρεας και εκκλησιαστικς τχνης. Απ 26 Ιουλου 2010 εναι μλος του Πατριαρχικο Συμβουλου Πολιτισμο. Απ 13 Ιανουαρου 2010 εναι μλος του Διοικητικο Συμβουλου του Ιδρματος «Ρωσικς κσμος». Απ 22 Μαρτου 2011 εναι μλος του Αντατου Εκκλησιαστικο Συμβουλου. Απ 5 Οκτωβρου 2011 εναι πρεδρος της Συνοδικς Βιβλικς και Θεολογικς Επιτροπς. Библиография работ автора: Ελληνικ γιος Ισακ ο Σρος. Ο πνευματικς του κσμος. Αγιολογικ Βιβλιοθκη, αρ. 17. Εκδσεις ΑΚΡΙΤΑΣ. Αθνα, 2005. Αγγλικ: St Symeon the New Theologian and Orthodox Tradition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. The Spiritual World of Isaac the Syrian. Cistercian Studies No 175. Kalamazoo, Michigan: Cistercian Publications, 2000. The Mystery of Faith. Introduction to the Teaching and Spirituality of the Orthodox Church. London: Darton, Longman and Todd, 2002. Orthodox Witness in a Modern Age. Geneva: WCC Publications, 2006. Christ the Conqueror of Hell. The Descent into Hell in Orthodox Tradition. New York: SVS Press (in preparation). Γαλλικ: Le mystère de la foi. Introduction à la théologie dogmatique orthodoxe. Paris: Cerf, 2001. L’univers spirituel d’Isaac le Syrien.

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St. Gregory of Nyssa - Writings (translation), Bucharest, 1982 Orthodoxe Dogmatik , 1985 Le genie de l " orthodoxie , Paris, 1985 Spirituality a communion in Orthodox lithurgy , Craiova, 1986. God " s eternal face , Craiova, 1987 St. Athanasius the Great - Writings (translation), Bucharest, 1987 Orthodox Dogmatic Theology Studies (Christology of St. Maximus the Confessor, Man and God, St. Symeon The New Theologian, Hymns of God " s love) , Craiova, 1991 St. Cyril of Alexandria - Writings (translation), Bucharest, 1991 Библиография работ автора на языке оригинала: Lucrri оп volum:   Viaa i activitatea patriarhului Dosoftei al lerusalimului i legturile lui cu rile rombnemi, Cernui, 1929 169 p. (tez de doctorat); Catolicismul de dup rzboi, Sibiu, 1933, 204 p.; Ortodoxie i rombnism, Sibiu, 1939, 395 p.; Poziia d-lui Lucian Blaga fa de cretinism i Ortodoxie, Sibiu, 1942, 150 p. Viaa i onvmura Sf. Grigorie Palama.  Cu trei tratate traduse, Sibiu, 1938, 250 + CLX p.; Iisus Hristos sau restaurarea omului, Sibiu, 1943, 404p. (i оп nuarul XIX al Academiei teologice < > " , 1942-1943, p. 5-406); Teologia Dogmatic i Simbolic.  Manual pentru lnstitutele Teologice, 2 vol., Bucureti, 1958, 1008p. (оп colaborare cu profesorii Nicolae Chiescu, Isidor Todoran i loan Petreu); Teologia  Dogmatic ortodox pentru Institutele Teologice, 3 vol., Bucureti, 1978,504 + 380 + 463 p. (considerat " o sintez ampl a Teologiei Dogmatice a Bisericii Ortodoxe, cu deschideri ecumenice, culme a gbndirii dogmatice rombnemi i punct sigur de plecare pentru noi dezvoltri оп gbndirea dogmatic " ); Teoloaia Moral ortodox pentru Institutele Teologice, vol. Ill.  Spiritualitatea ortodox, Bucureti, 1981, 320p.; Spiritualitate i comuniune оп Liturghia ortodox, Craiova, 1986, 440p.; Chipul nemuritor al lui Dumnezeu, Craiova, 1987, 392 p.; Studii de teologie dogmatic ortodox, Craiova, 1990, 705 p.; Reflexii despre spiritualitatea poporului готвп, Craiova, 1992, 162 p.

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The reason for the first part of Lossky« " s statement is that without theology apophaticism has no content and genuine experiences of the transcendent cannot be distinguished from false ones. The second part of the statement is based on the assumption that verbal and conceptual pursuits cannot exhaust the «wholly Other» God of Christianity. It is very relevant in this respect the comment made by the same author, that the Eastern Church has reserved the title «theologian» to only three really mystical sacred writers: St. John the Evangelist, St. Gregory of Nazianzus and St. Symeon the New Theologian. According to Orthodox thinking the mystical approach to theology could offer protection against an exaggerated rationalism in oné " s theological pursuit as well as guard the theologian from the natural tendency of reducing the transcendence of God to a human system. the Truth is not an idea, but a person, even the Incarnate Lord.» 21 2 . Another distinctive aspect that Bria mentions centers around the Orthodox emphasis on sacraments and worship: the Orthodox Church is highly sacramental and of all the functions of the Church, worship is by far the most prominent. The Orthodox term for sacrament is «mystery», which is understood as personal appropriation of the life of God». 22 In the opinion of Georges Florovsky, in the sacraments does the Christian Community pass beyond the purely human measure and become the Church». 23 Among the implications of the Orthodox sacramentalism we can mention the tendency of institutionalizing the ministry of the Holy Spirit (because all exercise of the gifts of the Spirit is controlled by and most of the times reserved to professional clergy) and the neglect of other aspects of the Church life, like the ministry of the Word, the life in community, and the involvement in missions (because of the exaggerated importance given to liturgy in relation to the other aspects). 24 Lex orandi is a common ground for establishing dogmatic orthodoxy both for the Church Fathers and the modern Orthodox theologians. 25 The emphasis on what Bria calls «a doxological dogmatic» protects theology from becoming theoretical and rationalistic, giving it an existential character. From an Orthodox perspective theology is not called to deal exclusively with abstract ideas, but also with persons and the real world; it has to be existential. It calls man to a concrete experience with Christ through the sacraments, in the context of liturgy. Christ is not a text but a living Person, and He abides in his Body, the Church. " 26 It is not surprising then that prominent modern Orthodox theologians, like Berdiaev, Bulgakov and Staniloae, have been attracted and influenced by the existentialist philosophy.

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Symeon the New Theologian (949–1022) revived the emphasis placed by the Macarian Homilies upon conscious experience: Do not say, It is impossible to receive the Holy Spirit. Do not say, It is possible to be saved without him. Do not say, then, that one can possess him without knowing it (Hymn 27.125–7) The conscious experience ofthe Spirit takes the form of a vision of the light of Christ (for Christ and the Spirit are inseparable). Symeon affirmed clearly and definitely that this light is not physical and created, but non-material and divine: “Your Light, my God, is you yourself” (Hymn 45.6). The divine light has a transforming effect upon the one who beholds it, so that he himself becomes light. Although Symeon has left accounts of how Christ spoke to him out of the light, it seems that he did not actually see the face of Christ in the light. As with Diadochos, the vision is one of pure lumi­nosity, without shape or form (although in one vision Symeon saw his spiritual father standing close to the light). HESYCHAST CONTROVERSY In the last years of the 13th century an Athonite monk, Nikiphoros the Hesychast, wrote a short but influential treatise On Watchfulness and the Guarding of the Heart. Here he spoke of “returning” or “entering” into oneself and “seeking the treasure within the heart.” To facilitate this, he suggested that the recitation of the Jesus Prayer should be accompanied by a psycho­somatic technique, involving the descent of the intellect, along with the breath, into the heart. A similar technique was recommended by another Athonite monk in the following generation, Gregory of Sinai (d. 1346). Gregory set the Jesus Prayer in a sacramen­tal context, seeing it as a means whereby we rediscover the grace received in baptism: prayer, he said, is nothing else than “the making manifest of baptism” (On Commandments and Doctrines 113). Using Eucharistic symbolism, he also described how the hesychast through prayer enters “the inner sanctuary,” where he “celebrates the triadic liturgy,” “offering up the Lamb of God upon the altar of the soul and partaking of him in communion” (On Commandments and Doctrines 43, 112).

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Carson, D.A. New Testament Comntenlary Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1993). , and Woodbridge John D., eds., Hermeneutics, Authority, and Canon (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986). , and Woodbridge John D., eds., Scripture and Truth (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1963). Chadwick, Henry, «The Bible and the Greek Fathers», The Church’s Use of the Bible: Past and Present, ed. E.E.Nineham (London: SPCK, 1963) 25–39. , Early Christian Thought and the Classical Tradition: Studies in Justin, Clement, and Origen (New York: Oxford University Press, 1966). Charlesworth, H., The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, Vols.1 and 2, (Garden City: Doubleday, 1986). Childs, Brevard S., The New Testament as Canon: An Introduction (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985, 1984). , Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979). , Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments: Theological Reflection on the Christian Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993). Chilton, Bruce, Beginning New Testament Study (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1986). Chrysostom, John, Homilies on the Gospel of John, in Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol.14, ed. Philip Schaff (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1969). Collins, J.J. and Crossan J.D., eds., The Biblical Heritage in Modern Catholic Scholarship (Wilmington: Glazier, 1986). Congar, Yves, The Revelation of God (New York: Herder and Herder, 1968). Coniaris, A., Preaching the Word of God (Brookline: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 1983). Conzelmann, Hans, Interpreting the New Testament: An Introduction to the Principies and Methods of New Testament Exegesis, trans. S.S.Schatzmann, (Peabody: Hendrickson, 1988). Cullmann, Oscar, Peter: Disciple, Apostle, Martyr: A Historical and Theological Study (New York: Meridian Books, 1964). Danielou, Jean, The Bible and the Liturgy (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press, 1956). deCatanzaro, C.J., Symeon the New Theologian: Discourses (New York: Paulist, 1980) de Margerie, Bertrand, Introduction to the History of Exegesis (Petersham: St Bede’s Publications, 1993).

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For all Christians, tranquility is a method of asceticism and a way of life. In the same ways as ethics, the spiritual life of a believer is not presented either monolithically or fragmentarily, but unfolds dynamically through self-abandonment to the will of God. In monasticism, this is achieved through obedience. Passing through the stage of purification from the passions and observance of the commandments, monastics achieve purity of the intellect and heart through obedience. In this way, they experience tranquility as a state of tranquility of the mind or of the heart. They experience it as a state of union of the intellect with the heart or as meditation on ‘the hidden person of the heart, where it becomes possible to see the reflection of God’s truth. Tranquility is now no longer ascetic, but, above all, charismatic. It is a state of purity of the soul, in which people are freed of any internal disturbance and disorder, to the point where they transcend themselves and surrender to the contemplation of God. In this state of tranquility, people become transparent before God, they are known by God, because God wants them and they know God because they are conforming to His will. This is why, as Elder Sophrony writes, in this authentically charismatic life there is no asceticism. In this life, the passions, against which asceticism was a necessary weapon, have already been overcome. In the field of academic theology, the question is sometimes raised: ‘What Biblical basis is there for hesychasm. What aim does it serve and on what commandment is it based, when, as is well known, all the Gospel commandments are summed up in the double commandment of love?’ There is certainly substance to these questions, but at the same time they have remained unanswered by academic theology. There is, of course, some Biblical support for tranquility and hesychasm in the text from the Psalms: ‘Be still and know that I am God’. This has been understood in a practical sense, however, without any further extension or deeper meaning. At least this was how it was understood by the Byzantine humanists who were contemporaries of Saint Symeon the New Theologian. There are also practical examples from Scripture with the Prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel, John the Baptist in the desert, and Jesus Himself, Who withdrew to pray in the tranquility of the desert. But even these are not thought to be sufficient to justify hesychasm. Many people believe that tranquility overlooks action. What is not so well understood, however, is that, without tranquility, action is itself undermined. Without tranquility the whole salvation of the human race is compromised, because we are not ‘saved’, but still fractured.

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Among other things, they urged that memorial services should be celebrated on the correct day, Saturday (not Sunday); hence the sobriquet »Kollyvades». But this was far from being their main liturgical concern. Much more important was their firm and unwavering advocacy of frequent communion; this proved to be highly controversial, and brought upon them persecution and exile. Secondly, they sought to bring about in theology a Patristic renaissance; and in this connection they undertook an ambitious programme of publications, in which the Philokalia played a central role. Thirdly, within the Patristic heritage, they emphasized above all else the teachings of Hesychasm, as represented in particular by St Symeon the New Theologian in the eleventh century and by St Gregory Palamas in the fourteenth. It is precisely this Hesychast tradition that forms the living heart of the Philokalia, and that gives to its varied contents a single unity. Such, then, is the cultural context of the Philokalia. It forms part -a fundamental and primary part- of the Patristic ressourcement that the Kollyvades sought to promote. The Kollyvades looked upon the Fathers, not simply as an archeological relic from the distant past, but as a living guide for contemporary Christians. They therefore hoped that the Philokalia would not gather dust on the shelves of scholars, but that it would alter peoplés lives. They meant it to have a supremely practical purpose. In this connection it is significant that St Nicodimos and St Makarios intended the Philokalia to be a book not just for monks but for the laity, not just for specialists but for all Christians. The book is intended, so its title page explicitly states, «for the general benefit of the Orthodox» (ες κοινν τν ρθοδξων φλειαν). It is true that virtually all the texts included were written by monks, with a monastic readership in mind. It is also true that, with the exception of seven short pieces at the end of the volume, the material is given in the original Patristic Greek, and is not translated into the Demotic, even though St Nikodimos and St Makarios used the Demotic in most of their other publications.

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  Origen on The Jews. Studies in Church History, vol. 29 (Christianity & Judaism), Oxford, 1992, 1 - 13. Reprinted in: E Ferguson (Ed). Recent Studies in Church History. vol 2.Garland Publishing. Hamden. CT. 1999.   The Influence of the Isis Cult on St. Cyril of Alexandria " s Christology. Studia Patristica, 24, Leuven, 1992, 191 - 199.   Influenta cultului lui Isis asupra Hristologiei Sfantului Chiril al Alexandriei. Altarul Banatalui (Revista Arhiepiscopiei Timisoarei). Anul. XIV. (LIII). serie noua. Nr. 1-3; Jan-Mar. 2003. 39-46.   The Theology of Images and the Legitimation of Power in Eighth Century Byzantium. St. Vladimir " s Theological Quarterly. vol. 37, No. 1, January, 1993, 39 - 58.   Martyr Devotion in the Alexandrian School (Origen to Athanasius). Studies in Church History, vol. 30 (Martyrs & Martyrologies), Oxford, 1993, 35-45. Reprinted in: E Ferguson (Ed). Recent Studies in Church History. vol. 5.Garland Publishing. Hamden. CT. 1999.   Signs of the Kingdom. ch.10 in: The Kingdom of God and Human Society, (Ed.) R.S. Barbour, Edinburgh, 1993, 190 - 207.   St. Cyril of Alexandria: Homily on the Feast of St. John The Theologian. Sourozh (Journal of the Russian Orthodox Church in England). vol. 51. Fall. 1993. 34-35.   Perceiving Light from Light in Light. The Trinitarian Theology of St. Gregory The Theologian. (Commemorative Volume for his 16th Centenary), Greek Orthodox Theological Review (Brookline, Mass.) vol. 39. 1-2, 1994, 7-32.   Structural Design & Apologetic Intent in Origen " s Commentary on John. Origeniana Sexta, [Origen and the Bible] (Edd. G. Dorival & A. Le Boulluec) Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium, CXVIII, [Leuven Univ. Press ], Peeters, Leuven, 1995, 441 - 457   Variations on a Theme: Monasticism in the Latin & Byzantine Experience. Medieval Life. No. 2, Spring 1995, 5-8, & ibid. No. 3. Autumn 1995, 3-5.   St. Symeon the New Theologian and Byzantine Monasticism. in: Mount Athos & Byzantine Monasticism. Ed. A. Bryer. Variorum Press, Aldershot, 1996. 17-35.

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With Elder Leonid's repose, the burden of the spiritual guidance of the skete fell to Elder Macarius . He was soft-spoken and emanated a quiet joy in the Lord. Like Elder Leonid, he used his gift of spiritual discernment to work numerous healings, especially of the demon-possessed. He also carried on a tremendous correspondence: his letters of counsel fill two volumes, each numbering a thousand pages. Elder Macarius did not tolerate idleness among the brethren. He introduced various handcrafts: bookbinding and woodworking. He also adorned the skete with mass planting of flowers. His greatest contribution to Optina, however, was to initiate its work of publishing patristic texts. This was historically significant, since Peter's reforms had greatly curtailed such activity, which subsequent laws restricted to ecclesiastical print shops. The result was that many works of Holy Fathers existed only in manuscript form or in very limited editions. Meanwhile, the secular press was churning out translations of mystical-philosophical works from the West, some of them plainly hostile to Orthodoxy. With the blessing and earnest support of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow, and the active collaboration of the Orthodox writer and philosopher Ivan Kireyevsky, Elder Macarius began meticulously editing manuscripts translated from the Greek by Paisius Velichkovsky, which he had acquired in Ploshchansk, and other patristic manuscripts donated by various individuals, thus launching an undertaking which, in 50 years, produced more than 125 books in 225,090 copies. These were sent to libraries and seminaries all over Russia, putting into circulation the works of St. Isaac the Syrian, St. Symeon the New Theologian, St. Nilus of Sora, Elder Paisius (Velichkovsky), and others, and inspiring a growing circle of religiously inclined intelligentsia. Counsels of Elder Macarius “To your question as to what constitutes happiness in life—whether it is grandeur, glory and wealth, or a quiet, peaceful family life—I will tell you that I agree with the latter, and I will also add that a life spent with a pure conscience and with humility brings peace, tranquility, and true happiness, while wealth, honors, glory, and high position are often the cause of many sins and do not bring happiness.

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