Patristic Nectar Publications

Healing Our Diseases: The Church as a Spiritual Hospital

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

Healing Our Diseases: The Church as a Spiritual Hospital" is a ten part lecture series dedicated to a close examination of the therapeutic nature of the Christian faith according to the teachings of the Holy Scriptures and the Church Fathers. This series begins with a lecture entitled Jesus Christ the Healer, and continues with lectures dedicated to "Sin as a Disease," "The Church as a Spiritual Hospital", and "The Spiritual Father as a Physician of the Soul." The last six lectures are dedicated to the diagnosis and recommended treatment plan for six common spiritual pathologies: self-love, anger, gluttony, despondency, avarice, and pride. In this series Holy Orthodoxy is revealed for what it is at its heart: a means for acquiring divine power and grace for the healing of our diseases of soul and body, and not a barren ideology.

Ten Homilies on the Holy Virgin Mary

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

These Marian Homilies by the master-preacher, St. Philaret of Moscow, provide a veritable treasure chest of theology and devotional reflection on the Most Pure Theotokos. St. Philaret unfolds the unspeakable beauty and faith of the Holy Virgin Mary, and is not shy to posit difficult questions that non-Orthodox persons ask about our devotion to Our Lady. He provides penetrating answers from the text of Holy Scripture, and does so always with a single eye on the edification of the soul. The listener will feast royally on these homilies.

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

A Discourse on Abba Philimon

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

The Discourse on Abba Philimon is fifth offering in the Philokalia Series. The Discourse is a precious narrative included within the Philokalia because of its priceless passages on practicing inner prayer and watchfulness. This text, coming from the otherwise unknown Egyptian priest-ascetic Philimon no later than the early seventh century, contains the earliest citation of the Jesus Prayer in what has come to be considered its standard form: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." This sacred word from the Abba has been cherished by Christians for centuries for is practical guidance on how to raise the heart and mind above the powerful allurements of the fallen world, or in the Abba's words: 'For through unceasing prayer and the study of the divine Scriptures the soul's noetic eyes are opened, and they see the King of the celestial powers, and great joy and fierce longing burn intensely in the soul; and as the flesh, too, is taken up by the Spirit, man becomes wholly spiritual.'

Religion and the Public Square: Mutual Interviews with Father Josiah and Barry Lynn, Executive Director of Americans for the Separation of Church and State

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

On Guarding the Intellect: Twenty-Seven Texts

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

The great battles of the spiritual war are noetic, that is, battles of the mind and heart. In this brief but penetrating text, which opens the majestic patristic literary collection the Church known as the Philokalia, St. Isaiah the Solitary guides the believer in the effort to purify the mind and heart, sanctify and adhere to the conscience, and learn to pray with watchfulness and without distraction born of passions.

Orthodox Theology in America Today

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

We are pleased to offer the following interview with Archimandrite Irenei (Steenberg) entitled "Orthodox Theology in America Today." Father Irenei is the pastor of the St. Tikhon Church (ROCOR) in San Francisco, an internationally recognized scholar of patristics, former head of the Dept. of Theology at the University of Leeds (UK), founder and director of the patristics site www.monachos.net, prolific author, and director of the Ss. Cyril and Athanasius Orthodox Institute.

Starting Down the Royal Path: How to Become an Orthodox Christian

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

This lecture provides an detailed overview of the traditional path of Orthodox Christian catechesis. In this lecture, born out of the study of patristic catechesis and the experience of instructing more than 250 catechumens, Father Josiah lays out a traditional practical step-by-step process for teaching inquirers and catechumens the Orthodox faith in such a way as to give them a solid "foundation of repentance and faith" (Heb. 6:1) that will serve them and the church for life. Included with this lecture are two attachments: 1. A Chart of the Initiatory Process, and 2. Text of the Lecture Itself.

A Christian Ending to Our Lives: Death, Funeral, Burial, and Memorials in the Orthodox Christian Tradition

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

This remarkably interesting 7 lecture series entitled, A Christian Ending to Our Lives, examines far reaching subjects associated with the Christian process of death and burial. The lectures are devoted to the remembrance of death, the significance of aging, the meaning of the funeral service and burial, the tradition of Christian cemeteries and memorial customs, and the ancient and universal practice of praying for the repose of the departed. Besides examining these much-neglected topics Father Josiah provides two step-by-step guides: one guide elucidating the steps a family ought take from the time of a beloved one's repose until burial. A PDF of this guide entitled Steps to Be Taken Upon the Death of a Loved One is provided with the download of the series. Father also posits additional guidance elucidating the steps a family can take to express love for and to assist the soul of a departed loved one in the forty days immediately following his or her repose.

St. John Cassian - On the Eight Vices

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

This offering, On the Eight Vices, is the third installment in the Philokalia Project, and is a classic spiritual text on the nature of sin and how to overcome it. In this text St. Cassian begins with the most carnal of sins, gluttony, and proceeds to the most spiritual and hideous of all sins, pride. Along the way he unmasks the spirit of fornication, avarice, anger, sadness, acedia, and vainglory. He not only exposes these sins, but provides the believer inspired guidance on how to beat these sins and overcome them in this life. This text in the Philokalia has been cherished by believers for over a millennium, and is narrated for Patristic Nectar Publications by Mr. Jason Covarrubias.

The Orthodox Church—Today and Tomorrow

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

On Sunday evening, October 28th, Kevin Allen, host of AFR's Ancient Faith Today, conducted a live 90 minute interview with Father Josiah on the subject of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the United States. This interview is the most extensive discussion of the Assembly that has been conducted by the media since the formation of the Assembly of Bishops three years ago. It is a in-depth look at the goals and workings of the Assembly, fueled by live listener feedback and questions, and provides an inside view of what has thus far transpired in the bishops' assembly as well as what might soon take place. Click here to hear the interview.

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Welcome to Patristic Nectar Publications!

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

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St. Maximos: Four Hundred Texts on Love

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

This offering, Four Hundred Texts on Love, is the second installment in the Philokalia Project, and is the most famous of the works of St. Maximos the Confessor.

Do This and You Shall Live: An Exposition of the Ten Commandments for the 21st Century

Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

This ten lecture series is designed to show how the Law of God directs all people to Christ, manifests His beauty and holiness, and reveals God's will for His people in every place and time. In these lectures twenty fundamental theological principles concerning God's Law are expounded, each of the Ten Commandments is explained in its original meaning and contemporary application, and special emphasis is given to the unique challenges faced by 21st century believers, who dwell in a post-Christian and secularized context.

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Thu, 09 May 2013 12:07:46 -0400

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