Theology as a Spiritual State
In the Life and Teaching of Saint Sophrony the Athonite
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In our era, we are witnessing a perpetual trivialisation of the word. The incalculable multitude of publications and relentless flood of information provided by the media and internet lead finally to an exhausting verbosity that slays the spirit. The mystery of the birth of the word in the heart of man requires hesychastic silence, during which the mind is baptised in the uncreated energy of grace and the heart becomes receptive to divine words.
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This book of Archimandrite Peter, the Abbot of our monastery, is an expanded version of his doctoral dissertation on the mystery of the word of God in the writings of Saint Sophrony. In truth, Saint Sophrony was above all a man in whom the word of God dwelt abundantly. Through the grace of the word conceived and borne in his heart, he performed his creative ministry as the Father and guide of many souls. Having seen the uncreated Light, he understood theology as the state of abiding in God. For him, theology was the narration of the event of his meeting with Christ during his rapture in the vision of divine Light. As he writes: “Authentic theology consists, not in the conjectures of man’s reason or the results of critical research but in a statement of the life into which man has been introduced by the action of the Holy Spirit.” Theology, then, is a gift of the Holy Spirit that quickens the heart of man. Whoever acquires this gift becomes a luminary in the world and possesses the word of life.’
Archimandrite Zacharias
CONTENTS
PROLOGUE
INTRODUCTION
1.2. The Uncreated Light in the Life of Saint Sophrony
1.3. The ‘Boldness’ of Written Testimony
ii. The Incarnation of the Logos
ii. Participation in the Uncreated Divine Energies
2.3. ‘A man shall approach and the heart is deep’
3.2. The Birth of the Word in the Heart
3.3. The Mystery of the Word in Saint Sophrony
4.2. ‘The Word that came forth out of silence’
4.3. ‘The Word of God is cut short upon earth’
5.2. The Properties of the Uncreated Light
ii. The twofold vision imparted by the Light
ii. The manifestation of the hypostatic principle in man through the ‘enhypostatic edifying gift’ of the Light
ii. ‘The voice of God as the summit of contemplation’
6.2. Theology as a Spiritual State in Saint Sophrony
6.3. From Apophatic to Cataphatic Theology
7.2. The Three Stages of the Spiritual Life: from the Desert of Divine Chastening to the Land of True Theology
7.3. The Ultimate Criterion of Theology – Love for Enemies
EPILOGUE: ‘How do the perfect speak?’
Index of Biblical References
Bibliography
| Weight | 0.55 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 21.4 × 15 × 2.6 cm |
| Author | Archimandrite Peter Vryzas |
| Language | English |
| Book cover | Hardback Clothbound with Dust Jacket |
| Pages | 359 |
| Publisher | Stavropegic Monastery of St. John the Baptist |
| Edition | 1st edition |
| Publication year | 2021 |
| ISBN | 978-1-909649-67-5 |
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Archimandrite Zacharias Zacharou
Archimandrite Peter studied theology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. He began his monastic life at the Monastery of St John the Baptist, Essex in 2001. Since 2019 he has served as the Father Hegumen of the community. Read more…
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