“Attend to Thyself:” Attentiveness and Digital Culture

The rise of digital culture has created both tremendous human possibilities as well as tremendous challenges and problems. Powerful corporate and commercial interests compete for our attention, which has become a valuable commodity in the online world. Living in a culture of organized distractions, human awareness is fragmented, causing us to lose touch with ourselves, our neighbors, the world around us, and God. This paper explores the traditional ascetic practice of attention and watchfulness which it recommends as a coun- terweight to modern cultural, psychological, and spiritual fragmentation. The principal sources under consideration are drawn from the Philokalia, a collection of writings devoted to the practice of “attending to oneself.” &nbsp

The Literary Legacy of Kallistos Angelikoudes: An Attempt at Systematization

This article explores the little studied and partially unpublished literary corpus of Kallistos Angelikoudes, one of the most fascinating late Byzantine hesychast authors. It addresses some of the problems associated with the manuscript tradition of his writings and offers a new approach to the systematization of his oeuvre. Despite the uncertainty regarding the identification of the two groups of texts that make up the “books” of Angelikoudes’ literary corpus, that is, the Hesychastic Education and the Hesychastic Consolation, this article advances an argument with regard to the possible composition of these works

Kenotic Dialogue - A Paradigm for Christians Relations with their Neighbours

 This article represents an attempt to argue that if we are to apply Christ’s kenosis to our relationships, then a kenotic dialogue will be the appropriate way to interact with others. Starting from Martin Buber and some Christian thinkers, this paper will also emphasize the relational dimension of God’s image in human beings and the subsequent dialogue this image entails. Assuming the premise that Jesus Christ is the perfect human expression of God’s image and that this reality also impacts our human nature, the consequence might be that his kenotic dialogue with the world prompts an analog dialogue between God and us (in prayers) and between our neighbors and us. Because kenosis can be a tricky concept, it is adequate to mention that the kenotic perspective employed in this paper is that set out by the Orthodox theologian Dumitru Stăniloae. Finally, we hope to convince the reader that Christ’s kenosis is simultaneously the foundation and the model for our relationships network and enables us to a new way of interacting with people.&nbsp

The Political Role of the Orthodox Clergy in the Union of the Romanian Principalities (1859)

 The union of the Romanian Principalities was a decisive moment in the history and evolution of the modern Romanian state, but its realization cannot be separated from the actions of the bishops and clergy, who were co-opted in the electoral process from the very beginning. The activity of the clergy was not strictly limited to the bureaucratic management of the elections but revealed a set of political beliefs, actively supporting the idea of Romanians’ national unity. This paper aims to insist on the political partisanship of the clergy respectively, on the immediate consequences of their involvement in political life.&nbsp

On the Jesus Prayer

This paper focuses on the Jesus Prayer, attempting to explain (1) how in this prayer, by the grace of God, our mind can be united with the heart and (2) what the fruits of this marvellous union are. &nbsp

Aspects of Monastic Formation, Probation, and Education in St. Gregory Palamas

The theology of Saint Gregory Palamas is of crucial importance for monastic spirituality. In his writings as well as in his Vita, composed by Philotheos Kokkinos, there are several instances which deal with aspects of a novitiate, that is, the process of becoming a monk. These elements will be examined in the context of Byzantine monastic rules (typika) and the earlier monastic tradition, both in East and West. In the sixth century, St. Benedict of Nursia adopted these early Eastern traditions for Western monasticism. Therefore, they constitute a strong common ground until today. This article attempts to show some traits of St. Gregory Palamas’ own monastic “career,” what he himself considered important, and what could be considered important for today.                                   &nbsp

Early Childhood in Today's Family. The Christian Landmarks in the Lives of our Children

   Early childhood represents the most important developmental period. Parents are nowadays confronted with serious challenges in their educational strivings. Many young spouses choose to learn about child psychology to overcome the difficulties raised by a baby’s presence. Christian parents delineate their educational efforts by taking into consideration God’s commandments. Prayer and patience are combined so that a loving dialogue conducts all the family interactions. Pre-schoolers are extremely attentive to what their parents do every day. Their kind gestures and words form the child’s personality. Participation in the liturgical program of a church proves the authentic faith of the parents. Accustomed to the intense atmosphere of a dynamic ecclesial community, the Christian children are taught how to use theological teaching in their daily life. They learn important rules and limits about emotional reactions, expressing compassion, and loving their family, friends, and even strangers. The model provided by mum and dad always had a formative effect. Christian parents instil in their children the willingness to follow love, faith, and trust as the main virtues that a human being can hope for.&nbsp