Thanks Paul! My circumstances prevent me from attending most of your talks in person, so I really appreciate this and future talks being made available here for additional help in our spiritual growth.
Will events like the Against Christian Civilization talk be made available here? That is one I'm especially interested in listening to.
Thank-you Paul for your writings on Christianity. I would appreciate hearing your voice, as it is encouraging on this Christian path to hear another, God Given Voice!
Thank you for posting this - I couldn't make the conference and it was great to hear you. I was with Carmelite friars that week, and spoke with them about how my experience with the Carmelite tradition has resonated deeply with what I have understood / encountered in the Orthodox Church, only for them to tell me that local Orthodox had visited them and both had found much in common. The Carmelite friars and enclosed nuns are rooted in the East, Mount Carmel and the prophet Elijah. As for the old saints and the deep roots of Christianity to be found in Ireland and the British isles, I think you are right. I don't see any other church or movement capturing the 'Celtic Christianity' as is the Orthodox tradition. Some time ago I wrote to Catholic chaplaincy friends from university days in the eighties, and suggested we needed an Eastern rite for our isles, but the response was 'we can't go backwards', which actually left me feeling alone in the idea/ desire. As for 'going home'. When I have seen the Romanian pilgrims visiting the relic of Mary's sash in Fr Seraphim's recent videos, I was reminded of my Irish grandparents and I believe too, the generations before them. They had that kind of faith although many of their saints would have been more recent. Being in their home, with the prayers, the statues and holy water was like being in church. The practice of their faith and the life of prayer was seamless throughout the days, whatever they were doing. I know my grandmother had a pretty dismissive / discerning attitude towards parish priests, knowing the difference between those who sought holiness and were kind pastors and those who fell Into the (I suppose you would say something like imperial) tendencies that you saw when you considered the Catholic Church. So although Romanian, I can see how you have indeed made a home in the country and its landscape and people. What I round most touching was hearing the difference that becoming Christian has made - you have so obviously been guided well in your formation / transformation towards Christ. Finally, your experience of a lifting of the veil to see reality as it is. I remember meeting a Serbian Orthodox man at a Benedictine monastery in Turvey England, decades ago. He described something of his experience of God and God's relationship to humanity in a tangible sense of love and connection in pretty much the exact same words you used. I remember he would pray, alone on his knees for ages, in the two weeks we were there. He too had spent some time in Buddhism and I have often wondered where he ended up. He was called Mark. Keep an eye out for him. :)
Thanks Paul! My circumstances prevent me from attending most of your talks in person, so I really appreciate this and future talks being made available here for additional help in our spiritual growth.
Will events like the Against Christian Civilization talk be made available here? That is one I'm especially interested in listening to.
Yes, I plan to add anything I can. That one will either be posted here or on the First Things site. I will let people know which.
Thank-you Paul for your writings on Christianity. I would appreciate hearing your voice, as it is encouraging on this Christian path to hear another, God Given Voice!
Thank you for posting this - I couldn't make the conference and it was great to hear you. I was with Carmelite friars that week, and spoke with them about how my experience with the Carmelite tradition has resonated deeply with what I have understood / encountered in the Orthodox Church, only for them to tell me that local Orthodox had visited them and both had found much in common. The Carmelite friars and enclosed nuns are rooted in the East, Mount Carmel and the prophet Elijah. As for the old saints and the deep roots of Christianity to be found in Ireland and the British isles, I think you are right. I don't see any other church or movement capturing the 'Celtic Christianity' as is the Orthodox tradition. Some time ago I wrote to Catholic chaplaincy friends from university days in the eighties, and suggested we needed an Eastern rite for our isles, but the response was 'we can't go backwards', which actually left me feeling alone in the idea/ desire. As for 'going home'. When I have seen the Romanian pilgrims visiting the relic of Mary's sash in Fr Seraphim's recent videos, I was reminded of my Irish grandparents and I believe too, the generations before them. They had that kind of faith although many of their saints would have been more recent. Being in their home, with the prayers, the statues and holy water was like being in church. The practice of their faith and the life of prayer was seamless throughout the days, whatever they were doing. I know my grandmother had a pretty dismissive / discerning attitude towards parish priests, knowing the difference between those who sought holiness and were kind pastors and those who fell Into the (I suppose you would say something like imperial) tendencies that you saw when you considered the Catholic Church. So although Romanian, I can see how you have indeed made a home in the country and its landscape and people. What I round most touching was hearing the difference that becoming Christian has made - you have so obviously been guided well in your formation / transformation towards Christ. Finally, your experience of a lifting of the veil to see reality as it is. I remember meeting a Serbian Orthodox man at a Benedictine monastery in Turvey England, decades ago. He described something of his experience of God and God's relationship to humanity in a tangible sense of love and connection in pretty much the exact same words you used. I remember he would pray, alone on his knees for ages, in the two weeks we were there. He too had spent some time in Buddhism and I have often wondered where he ended up. He was called Mark. Keep an eye out for him. :)
Thank you , Paul! I really enjoyed your talk last Saturday! Thanks for posting it. I even listened to it again.
Thank you
Thank you Paul for sharing as you go 🙏🏼
See you soon in Birmingham! 🤗