How To Be a True Theologian - St. Daniel of Katounakia
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- Опубликовано: 7 сен 2024
- St. Daniel of Katounakia (+1929) cuts to the heart of who is a true theologian, and how one might walk the path towards that experience. His letter to a student of theology is especially applicable today when many are more drawn to follow academic theologians, Latin scholasticism and rationalism, and a devotion to an abstract reading of saints centuries ago without living connection to the saints of our day.
Text of the letter: www.johnsanido...
St. Daniel was born in 1846, lived in Smyrna and became interested in the life of Christ from a young age. He visited Saint Arsenios of Paros, as he wanted to receive his blessing in order to go to Mount Athos. There he became a monk, living in the monasteries of Saint Panteleimon and Vatopaidi. He was also friends with St. Nektarios of Aegina and had influence on a young St. Joseph the Hesychast. He lived with nephritis (a kidney disease) for almost ten years, before being healed by the Holy Belt of the Theotokos at Vatopaidi on the Belt’s feast day. A few years later he moved to Katounakia and lived alone for three years. More monks came to live there and that is how the Danielaioi brotherhood was founded. Saint Daniel had many God given gifts and abilities, which led to his recognition around the world. He fell asleep in peace in 1929. Saint Daniel’s feast day is celebrated on September 7.
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ST. DANIEL'S SUMMARY:
To put it simply, he who has preferred the study of Theology, is bound by duty to practice the path of virtue, which in the future he will teach, and to practice without deviation his high profession, without aiming either for the attainment of hollow insignificant glory, or some speculative means, nor in the satiety and gratification of the passions; and then he will see the ageless fruits of his preaching abound.
Additional quotes from St. Daniel:
You are right, my dear George, to be very sad, seeing the general coldness and indifference that most of the students of the Church have, because they do not understand the height of their mission, the purpose of which has mostly been distorted. And, while by common confession, all the efforts of Christ's Church and our Race agree on this and preach it, namely that the graduates of the Theological School must work for the Church and demonstrate both by words and deeds to be genuine followers following in the footsteps of the famous teachers of the Church, but on the other hand we see with regret that the main purpose of the above-mentioned vocation is overlooked and instead of the gain of the fruits we await, we encounter all the opposites.
If we examine with much attention and penetrating research where the branch of Theology is based and how the one who is going to do theology should deal with it, we will see with awe and, at the same time, with surprise that this branch is not based on some simple natural science or art, but to some other object [of research], which is given only to those who chose the virtuous life and lifted up with maximum self-denial the Cross of our Lord Jesus, becoming a type and model for other Christians and the newly illumined ones. Being such, they must eradicate from themselves all carnality and self-interest and practice every kind of virtue, in order to become truly chosen vessels of the All-Holy Spirit and to appear as evangelical luminaries on the horizon of the Church of Christ.
Without the advantages of this kind, it is impossible for him who theologizes to succeed in his mission and to be introduced to the understanding of what he teaches.
And from now on, as much as possible, show firm faith in what the Church of Christ has established, either through the Apostolic Canons and traditions, or through the Ecumenical and Local Synods, not admitting at all the innovative theories of the moderns, who have already bid farewell for the most part to the conscience and the love of God, they teach new doctrines, according to their pleasure, and instead of supporting the believers in piety, they become subverters of the divine preaching and piety.
Eagerly continue your studies, saving in yourself everything that is useful and beneficial, but to avoid ideas imported from the outside as deadly poison.
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Glory to God
Tremendous content.
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Amen
glory to god
i wanna build Orthodox temples in South America i can find the money but i need your knowledge and apostolic succesion
Glory to God. Contact the bishop in your region to find out how you may bring about such a good work. In fact, it is a tradition to put the name saint of the one who contributes a temple onto the very iconostasis of the temple!
Find Bishop Kirilo
Contact some American fathers like fr John Heers and fr Paul Treubenbach.
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