Mystical Theology: Introducing the Theology and Spiritual Life of the Orthodox Church

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 45 : Dionysius the Areopagite, Authorship & Dating , C. Veniamin In Episode 45 of our Mystical Theology, we continue our overview of the theology of Dionysius the Areopagite, one of the most challenging figures in the history of Christian doctrine. This episode also contains personal reflections on aspects of the spiritual life learned from St...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 44 of our Mystical Theology, we begin our overview of the theology of Dionysius the Areopagite, one of the most challenging figures in the history of Christian doctrine. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I wish to express my indebtedness to the spoken and written traditions of Mtp Kallistos Ware, Vladimir Lossky, Fr. John Romanides and Mtp Hierotheos Vlachos. Responsibility for the con...

Send us Fan Mail [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 t...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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,...

Send us Fan Mail 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 availabl...

Send us Fan Mail 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”, i...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 presentat...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 35: John Chrysostom: The Language of Holy Scripture, Eunomius & The Light of Tabor, Dr. C. Veniamin With Episode 34, we come to the end of Volume 1 of our series, Mystical Theology. Through Chrysostom’s appreciation of the Transfiguration of Christ on Tabor, we catch a glimpse of the theological presuppositions, the gnosiology, of one of the g...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 33: Conclusions to Augustine, Part 2: Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Moses, Part 6 of The Cappadocian Fathers, Dr. C. Veniamin In Episode 33, we have the second part of our Conclusions to the Unit on the Cappadocian Fathers and Augustine of Hippo. This consists of Gregory of Nyssa’s Life of Moses (paragraphs 152-169), in which St. Gregory presents the...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 32: Conclusions to Augustine, Part 1: Basil the Great & Gregory the Theologian, C. Veniamin In Episode 32, we return to the Cappadocian Fathers by way of conclusion, following our overview of Augustine of Hippo, in order to bring us back to an Orthodox approach to the mystery of the Holy Trinity. We attempt a clarification of the essence-energ...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 31: Three Basic Mistakes, Augustine of Hippo on the Holy Trinity, Episode 31, Mystical Theology, Dr. C. Veniamin Based on St. Augustine’s De Fide et Symbolo , this presentation discusses three erroneous presuppositions made by the Bishop of Hippo, and perpetuated by his followers, which have influenced subsequent generations in the Franco-Latin Ch...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 28: Augustine’s Essentialism and the Essence–Energies Distinction of Basil the Great, Part 9 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 9 of our presentations on Augustine of Hippo a comparison is made between the theological approach of Augustine and Basil the Great vis-a-vis the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, based on...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 27: Further Reading & Commentary, Reading De Trinitate Book IX, Part 8 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 8 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 27 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we continue our reading and commentary on Book IX of St. Augustine’s De Trinitate; and in so doing we...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 26: Reading & Commentary, Reading De Trinitate Book IX, Part 7 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 7 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 26 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we continue our reading and commentary on Book IX of St. Augustine’s De Trinitate; and in so doing we touch o...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 25: “What Is Meant By The Spiritual Life?”, Part 6 of Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 6 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 25 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we attempt to outline some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Orthodox spiritual life. Other themes broached in thi...

Send us Fan Mail 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....

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 24: “De Trinitate”, Book IX, Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 5, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 5 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 24 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we conclude our remarks on St. Augustine’s “Commentary on Ps. 134:3 (135:3)”, and then begin reading from Book IX of his “de Trinitate”. Parti...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 23: “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is good” (Ps. 135:3), Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 4, Dr. C. Veniamin In Part 4 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 23 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we discuss the significance of St. Augustine's commentary of Psalm 135:3: “Praise the LORD; for the LORD is g...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 22: Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 3, Revelation of "I AM" (Exod. 3:18), with Prof. Christopher Veniamin In Part 3 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 22 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we discuss St. Augustine's understanding of the revelation of "I AM", given to Moses on Sin...

Send us Fan Mail 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 signific...

Send us Fan Mail 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 humilit...

Send us Fan Mail Series: Mystical Theology Episode 21: Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective, Part 2, Analogies, with Prof. Christopher Veniamin In Part 2 of “Augustine of Hippo: An Orthodox Perspective”, Episode 21 of our series in “Mystical Theology”, we present the terminology of St. Augustine's "analogies of Trinity". Our episode begins with a brief clarification regarding...

Send us Fan Mail 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. Abbacyru...