Christian Spirituality is little understood in the Western Church. One of the missions of St. John Chrysostom Anglican Church and the Anglican Internet Church is to teach Anglicans more about the subject and how to understand it in an Anglican context, especially in the work of Alcuin of York (Collect for Purity), Archbishop Thomas Cranmer (Litany; 1549 Book of Common Prayer), and the Blessed Lancelot Andrewes.
At its most essential level, Christian Spirituality is based upon a duality that is hard for modern people to accept: the Reality of Evil in the World : Christian Truth as the Only Antidote. Properly understood and used, Christian Spirituality can provide any Christian, anywhere, anytime, a valuable and formibable protection against the wiles and crafts of the Evil One, for the "spiritual warfare" about which Jesus warned (Luke 11:17-28). It can become, as Fr. Ron points out in the episodes, your own personal "armor of God" (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV) and a way to become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4 NKJV).
The first step in the teaching process was our Anglican Hour series, Christian Spirituality: "Seeing" the Face of God," which was videocast in August, September and October A.D. 2011. Unfortunately, we realized after the fact that our UStream formatted programs such as those we air as videos at the Digital Library and Anglican Hour cannot be seen by those with IPads and other portable devices using Apple technoloy.
From December 2011 to April 2012, this new page will offer not only revised and expanded audio versions of the UStream series, but also more teaching materials on Christian Spirituality. Early in A.D. 2012, we will expand and reformat this material into a pocket-sized illustrated book which will be available at the Bookstore page and will also be available in eBook format. Illustrations which were used in the UStream series and will be used in the book are shown in the right column. The Episodes average less than 20 minutes each. To listen, you will need the free QuickTime program installed on your computer. Get latest version directly from Apple by using the link at the bottom of the page.
At its most essential level, Christian Spirituality is based upon a duality that is hard for modern people to accept: the Reality of Evil in the World : Christian Truth as the Only Antidote. Properly understood and used, Christian Spirituality can provide any Christian, anywhere, anytime, a valuable and formibable protection against the wiles and crafts of the Evil One, for the "spiritual warfare" about which Jesus warned (Luke 11:17-28). It can become, as Fr. Ron points out in the episodes, your own personal "armor of God" (Ephesians 6:12 NKJV) and a way to become "partakers of the divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4 NKJV).
The first step in the teaching process was our Anglican Hour series, Christian Spirituality: "Seeing" the Face of God," which was videocast in August, September and October A.D. 2011. Unfortunately, we realized after the fact that our UStream formatted programs such as those we air as videos at the Digital Library and Anglican Hour cannot be seen by those with IPads and other portable devices using Apple technoloy.
From December 2011 to April 2012, this new page will offer not only revised and expanded audio versions of the UStream series, but also more teaching materials on Christian Spirituality. Early in A.D. 2012, we will expand and reformat this material into a pocket-sized illustrated book which will be available at the Bookstore page and will also be available in eBook format. Illustrations which were used in the UStream series and will be used in the book are shown in the right column. The Episodes average less than 20 minutes each. To listen, you will need the free QuickTime program installed on your computer. Get latest version directly from Apple by using the link at the bottom of the page.
Topcs: The duality of Christian Spirituality; spirituality in the Anglican context; prayer & prayer habits; writing your own catanae (prayers based on Scripture). Registration: $25.00 per person (includes lunch and an eBook version of the book of the same name). UStream broadcast in two sessions 9-12 and 1-4. Click the Workshop graphic for details on the sessions. There are many hotels near the Chapel. If you need overnight accommodations, we can send a list with contact numbers.
To register: send your name, address, telephone number and email address to frron.stjohnanglican@earthlink.net. You can pay the registration fee by sending a check (payable to St. Chrysostom Church) to our business office at 7162 Soft Wind Lane, Mechanicsville, Va. 23111 or use the PayPal link below. We will match your PayPal purchase with your registration information & send a confirmation email.
To register: send your name, address, telephone number and email address to frron.stjohnanglican@earthlink.net. You can pay the registration fee by sending a check (payable to St. Chrysostom Church) to our business office at 7162 Soft Wind Lane, Mechanicsville, Va. 23111 or use the PayPal link below. We will match your PayPal purchase with your registration information & send a confirmation email.
Podcast versions:
Highlights of Episode 1: Introduction; the Duality: Reality of Evil in the World : Christian Truth as the Antidote; the limits of "reason,"; dealing with Evil; the Anglican context of "heart" expressed by Alcuin of York, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer & the Blessed Lancelot Andrewes.
Listen to Episode 2Highlights of Episode 2: The two traditional Old Testament and New Testament understandings of "Face of the Lord." The Hebrew understanding of what happens when God turns His face from the people. The Christ Pantokrator icon at St. Catherine's Monastery as the image/face of the Lord which can be seen & why.
Listen to Episode 3Highlights of Episode 3: The three-part Anglican division since the 1530s; the Blessed Lancelot Andrewes' contribution to expressing Christian Spirituality in an Anglican context; Andrewes on the essentual understanding of the nature of the Holy Spirit and of the procession of Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
Listen to Episode 4Highlights of Episode 4: Prayer Styles and Prayer Habits; Conversing with God; combatting the intrusion of the Evil One into prayer; the three stages of Prayer development: Prayer of the Mouth (or Prayer of the Words); Prayer of the Mind; and Prayer with the MInd in the Heart (or Prayer of the Heart); the difference between "knowledge" and "understanding" as taught in Psalm 119.
Listen to Episode 5Highlights of Episode 5: Seven guidelines for personal prayer based upon Christian Spirituality; more on techniques to prevent the Evil One from invading your thoughts during prayer.
Listen to Episode 6Highlights of Episode 6: First, Fr. Ron clarifies a common misunderstanding about Christian Spirituality, observing that it is not, as many Protestants assume, searching inside oneself for God, but planting the Holy Spirit in one's innermost being, where it can grow and provide protection against a hostile secular world. He teaches by example of his own compostion the ancient Christian art of writing catenae, or chain prayers based on Scripture. He closes with a catena written around 1700 by the Blessed Lancelot Andrewes.
Listen to Episode 7Highlights of Episode 7 Fr. Ron discusses the writings of two pairs of Saints: Peter & Paul; James & Jude, looking for teachings consistent with the essential Duality of Christian Spirituality: the Reality of Evil in the world and the Christian Truth as the only antidote. He ends with a catena on James 4:7, 8a, 10: "Submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (NKJV text).
You can still watch all seven Episodes using the links posted on the Anglican Hour page.
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