Remember Thy First Love
The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life in the Theology of Elder Sophrony
$30.00
The path of every man toward God and his relationship with Him is unique. However, because we all share the same human nature, there are certain stages and characteristics common to our spiritual journey. Although Saint Sophrony was reluctant to make generalisations, he formulated a theory of three distinct periods in spiritual life: the period during which God, abundantly pours out His grace upon man, begetting a desire in his heart for His Person and making a covenant with him; the period of the withdrawal of the first grace, during which man is called to prove that he has not forgotten ‘his first love’ (Cf. Rev. 2:4) but faithfully does all he can to regain it; and the third period, when the grace of adoption makes him ‘an heir of God and co-heir with Christ’ (Cf. Rom. 8:17). The Elder presented the second period of spiritual dryness as an authentic spiritual event, an honour and privilege offered from On High to man, so that he may creatively transform the ‘death’ of Godforsakenness into incorruptible divine life.
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Remember Thy First Love is a graphic description of the three stages in Christian life according to Saint Sophrony the Athonite (1896-1993), disciple of St Silouan the Athonite (1866-1938) and founder of the Patriarchal and Stavropegic Monastery of St John the Baptist in Essex, England.
In Remember Thy First Love, which complements The Enlargement of the Heart (2006) and The Hidden Man of the Heart (2008), Archimandrite Zacharias details the nature and purpose of the first grace given at the beginning of the Christian spiritual odyssey, the experience of the apparent withdrawal of grace, and then our final adoption as children, by which we become heirs of God and joint-heirs of Christ (cf. Rom. 8:17).
“The writings of Archimandrite Zacharias evince that inspiration which is born of an undistorted vision of Christ in glory.”
Christopher Veniamin
Professor of Patristics Saint Tikhon’s Seminary, USA
CONTENTS
Foreword
Editorial Preface
Editorial Preface
FOUNDATIONS
The Just Shall Live by Faith
The Just Shall Live by Faith
1. From Faith to Faith
2. The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life
3. After the Earthquake, the Spirit of Truth
2. The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life
3. After the Earthquake, the Spirit of Truth
THE FIRST STAGE
He First Loved Us
He First Loved Us
4. Longing to see the Lord
5. Seeing Greater Things
6. Knowing the Gift of God
7. Entering into a Covenant with God
5. Seeing Greater Things
6. Knowing the Gift of God
7. Entering into a Covenant with God
THE SECOND STAGE
The God of Glory Thundereth
The God of Glory Thundereth
8. Man Comes to Himself
9. An Invitation to Overcome Death
9. An Invitation to Overcome Death
a. The Merciful Chastening of the Lord
b. Charismatic Despair and Creative Suffering
c. Standing Before God with Prophetic Self-knowledge
b. Charismatic Despair and Creative Suffering
c. Standing Before God with Prophetic Self-knowledge
10. The Self-denial of the Mother of God
Receive not the Grace of God in Vain
11. Earthly Life for Infinite Life
12. Discovering the Deep Heart
13. The Language of God
14. Living by a Single Thought
15. The Struggle with Temptation
16. Zeal for the House of God
17. Giving Thanks in All Things
12. Discovering the Deep Heart
13. The Language of God
14. Living by a Single Thought
15. The Struggle with Temptation
16. Zeal for the House of God
17. Giving Thanks in All Things
THE THIRD STAGE
This Day Have I Begotten Thee
This Day Have I Begotten Thee
18. Christ’s Victory over Death: Man’s Inheritance
19. Knowing the Mystery of the Way of Salvation
20. Regeneration in the Spirit
21. The Infallible Criterion
22. Charismatic Humility
19. Knowing the Mystery of the Way of Salvation
20. Regeneration in the Spirit
21. The Infallible Criterion
22. Charismatic Humility
APPENDIX
Questions and Answers
Index of biblical references
Index of names and subject
Index of biblical references
Index of names and subject
Book Sample
Available in 6 Languages
English
English
English
Greek
Romanian
French
Russian
Arabic
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About the Author
Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou
Father Zacharias studied theology at the Orthodox Theological Institute of Saint Sergius in Paris and at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He has translated all the writings of Saint Silouan and Father Sophrony from the original Russian into Greek and he presents their rich theology to the Orthodox world by writing books and articles and taking part in conferences. Moreover, he serves as a spiritual Father and minister of the word of God to his brethren and the people that come to him. Read more…
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Gabriela (verified owner) –
Wonderful audio book, the answers are very helpful in practical situations. Father Zacharias guides us along the spiritual path with great comments on the Scripture and very practical examples that are applicable in many daily situations. As it says in the beginning of chapter 7: “It is possible to meet God in every place of our life, we can glorify Him in our joys and sorrows, in life and in death and even when we are in the deepest hell. Father Sophrony would sometimes tell to me: if I didn’t know the lives of the Saints, I would have fallen into despair many times, but being familiar with them I was able to bear more.” The examples in this audio book encourages us to have more faith. Thank you!
Timothy Kulikowski (verified owner) –
A Spiritual Gem!!!
Constantin Dumitrache (verified owner) –
It s a wonderful book and helps a lot in my spiritual life as a priest because it answers of the most of my questions regarding the parish life, how to act in certain situations.