Send us a text Episode 10: “Repentance and The Prison”, in John of the Ladder, Dr. C. Veniamin Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" “Repentance and The Prison”, Episode 10 in our series, "John of the Ladder”, is based on the reading of the first half of Step 5: “On Repentance… and about the Prison”, is one of the most challenging chapters in Patristic theology and the spiritual life. Presented by Dr. Christo...
Send us a text Episode 11: “By Way of Conclusion” Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" “By Way of Conclusion”, Episode 11 in our series, "John of the Ladder”, consists of concluding remarks regarding our brief overview of Steps 4 and 5 of the famous Ladder of Divine Ascent by the great John Climacus. Presented by Dr. Christopher Veniamin, themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&A...
Send us a text Episode 9: Holy Myrrh and Holy Relics Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" “Holy Myrrh and Holy Relics”, Episode 9 in our series, "John of the Ladder, is based on the readings, “About Menas” and “About Saint Acacius”. In it, inter alia, Prof. Christopher Veniamin discusses the significance of holy myrrh and holy relics. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As a...
Send us a text Episode 8: How to Deal with Pain and Suffering Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 8 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin reads the sections “Macedonius the archdeacon” and “Again about the steward”, who are placed before us as an examples of Christlike humility. Themes include accepting injustice, how the Saints deal with suffering and the enemy, thoughts, reason an...
Send us a text Episode 7: Compassion, the Body, and St. Abbacyrus Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 7 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin talks about the compassion of the Saints, the place of the human body in the spiritual life, and the remarkable example of St. Abbacyrus, who teaches us how to handle adversity. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&...
Send us a text Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 6 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin discusses the benefits for lay folk of reading literature that is intended first and foremost for a monastic audience. Themes from this episode are listed in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog: https://mountthabor.com/blogs/the-professors-blog Recommended backg...
Send us a text St Isidore, St Laurence & St Sophrony, in John of the Ladder, Ep 5, Prof. C. Veniamin Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 5 of "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin presents two great examples of Christian obedience, St Isidore and St Laurence, and also adds a story from the life of his spiritual father, St Sophrony the Athonite; all of which serve to illustrate that...
Send us a text St Sophrony and the Divine Liturgy, John of the Ladder, Ep 4, Prof. C. Veniamin Unit 15: “John of the Ladder: Principles of the Christian Life”, by Prof. Christopher Veniamin Series: “Mystical Theology" In Episode 4 in the series, "John of the Ladder, Prof. Christopher Veniamin takes the opportunity to describe something of what it was like to experience the Divine Liturgy when St. Sophrony was serving. Serving in the Holy Altar for a number of years in his youth, watching his...
Send us a text 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 strivin...
Send us a text 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 lif...
Send us a text 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, specifi...
Send us a text 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 disco...
Send us a text 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 strivin...
Send us a text 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...
Send us a text [Episode 42: Caveat on Trinity and Grace of God, Part 6 of Cyril of Alexandria, C. Veniamin] Series: Mystical Theology Episode 42: Caveat on Trinity and Grace of God, Part 6 of Cyril of Alexandria, C. Veniamin In Episode 42: Caveat on Trinity and Grace of God, Part 6 of Cyril of Alexandria, Dr. Veniamin pauses his presentations on the Christology of Cyril of Alexandria, in order to bring back in to focus the Cappadocian understanding of hypostasis, upon which Cyril bases his em...
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 41: Cyril of Alexandria, With Scholion on Appolinarius of Laodicea, Intro to Christology, Pt 5, C. Veniamin In Episode 41 of our Mystical Theology, Dr. Veniamin continues his presentation of the Christology of St. Cyril of Alexandria, emphasizing the divinity of the Logos made flesh, and an important note on the heresy of Apollinarius of Laodicea (c.310 - c.390). For a list of the various themes contained therein, see the Timestamps below. Q&am...
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 40: Cyril of Alexandria, Introduction to Christology, Part 4, Dr. C. Veniamin In Episode 40 of our Mystical Theology, Dr. Veniamin presents the foundations of Christology as formulated by St. Cyril, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria (d. 444), in the context of the Nestorian controversy (429 – 431). For a list of the various themes contained herein, see the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background readin...
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 39: Alexandria and Antioch: Christological Tendencies, Intro Pt 3, Dr. C. Veniamin In Episode 39 of our Mystical Theology, the tendencies to be found in Alexandrian and Antiochian Christology are discussed as a prelude to our overview of the Christology of Cyril of Alexandria (d. 444). See also the themes in the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory ...
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 38: The Nestorian Perspective: Intro to Christology, Part 2, Dr. C. Veniamin In Episode 38 of our Mystical Theology, the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical dyophysite Christologies is described, and in the process the Christological views of Theodore of Mopsouestia (c. 350-428) and Nestorius of Constantinople (d. c. 451) are presented as a prelude to the great contribution of Cyril of Alexandria. For other themes included in this p...
Send us a text Series: Mystical Theology Episode 36: Could Christ have sinned? Intro to Christology, Dr. C. Veniamin In Episode 36 of our Mystical Theology, Dr. Christopher Veniamin introduces the central doctrine of the Christian Faith - the Church’s teaching on the mystery of the Person of Jesus Christ - by asking the question, “Could Christ have sinned?”. For themes included in this presentation, see the Timestamps below. Q&As available in The Professor’s Blog Recommended background re...