The Orthodox-Catholic Anglican
In the audio above is the audio from the second lecture of the Advent Study Series that I am doing at my parish. The series is called “Foundations of the Church: Introducing the Church Fathers.”
This lecture follows on from the overall introduction to the Church Fathers in my first lecture, which you can find here.
The second lecture looks at two early Church Fathers. For both I provide an outline of their lives as well as a sampling of their teachings.
Firstly I look at Saint Ignatius of Antioch, an Apostolic Father who died in the early 2nd century, and I reflect on portions of his Epistle to the Romans.
Secondly we look at Saint Anthony the Great (also known as the Great), a Desert Father who died in the fourth century. We reflect both on a portion of S. Athanasius’ Life of S. Anthony as well as portions from The Letters of Saint Anthony the Great.
Below are the icons and texts displayed during the talk, for you to contemplate along with my own reflections.
Next week’s lecture will look at Saint Basil the Great and Saint Gregory of Nazianzus. The final lecture of this series, in two weeks, will look at Saint Maximos the Confessor and the Venerable Saint Bede.
SAINT IGNATIUS OF ANTIOCH
* S. Matthew 18:1-4
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
* Ignatius’ Epistle to the Romans (2.2)
Do not allow me anything other than being poured out for God, while there is an altar still prepared, so that forming a chorus of love you may sing out to the Father in Jesus Christ, because God has made the bishop from Antioch worthy of being found at the setting of the sun, after being sent from where it rises. It is good for me to sink to God from the world, so that I may rise up to Him.
* Epistle to the Romans (4.1)
I am writing to all the church and I am instructing everyone that I am willingly dying for God, unless you prevent me. I beseech you, do not become an unseasonable kindness to me. Leave me to be bread for the beasts, through which I may be able to attain to God. I am God’s wheat and through the beasts’ teeth I shall be found to be pure bread for Christ.
* Epistle to the Romans (5.3)
Grant me this: I know what is right for me. Now I am beginning to be a disciple. May nothing, visible or invisible, show jealousy towards me, only let me attain to Jesus Christ. Fire and cross, packs of wild beasts, cutting, rendings, the scattering of bones, the chopping up of limbs, the grinding of the whole body, the evil torments of the devil can come upon me, only let me attain to Jesus Christ.
* Epistle to the Romans (6:1-2)
Neither the ends of the world nor the kingdoms of this age profit me anything. It is better for me to die in Jesus Christ than to reign over the ends of the earth. Him I seek, the one who died on our behalf. Him I desire, Him Who rose up for us. The birth-pangs are laid upon me. Grant me this, brothers: do not hinder me from living, do not wish that I should die. Do not give the world the one who wishes to be God’s, nor charm him with the material. Allow me to receive the pure light. When I have arrived then I will truly be human.
SAINT ANTHONY OF EGYPT
* Third Epistle
The advent of Jesus helps us to do what is good, until we have destroyed all our vices. Then Jesus will say to us, ‘Henceforth I call you not servant, but brethren.’ When therefore the Apostles attained to receiving the Spirit of Adoption, then the Holy Spirit taught them to worship the Father as they ought.
* Third Epistle
And to me, this poor prisoner of Jesus, this time to which we have come has brought joy and lamentation and weeping. For many of our generation have put on the robe of religion but denied its power. As for those who have prepared themselves to be set free through the advent of Jesus, over them I rejoice. But those who do business in the Name of Jesus, and do the will of their heart and their flesh – over such I lament. Those who have looked at the length of the time, and their heart has failed them, and they have put off the robe of religion, and are become beasts – for them I weep. Know therefore that for such men the advent of Jesus becomes a great judgment. But you, my beloved in the Lord, know yourselves, that you may also know this time, and prepare to offer yourselves as a sacrifice acceptable to God.
* Third Epistle
And to me, this poor prisoner of Jesus, this time to which we have come has brought joy and lamentation and weeping. For many of our generation have put on the robe of religion but denied its power. As for those who have prepared themselves to be set free through the advent of Jesus, over them I rejoice. But those who do business in the Name of Jesus, and do the will of their heart and their flesh – over such I lament. Those who have looked at the length of the time, and their heart has failed them, and they have put off the robe of religion, and are become beasts – for them I weep. Know therefore that for such men the advent of Jesus becomes a great judgment. But you, my beloved in the Lord, know yourselves, that you may also know this time, and prepare to offer yourselves as a sacrifice acceptable to God.
* Third Epistle
He who knows himself knows God: and he who knows God, knows also the dispensations [gifts of grace] which He makes for His creatures. Let this word be manifest to you: it is not bodily love that I have towards you, but a spiritual, religious love, for God is glorious in His Saints. Prepare yourselves while you have intercessors to pray to God for your salvation, that He may pour into your hearts that fire which Jesus came to send upon the earth (Lk 12.49), that you may be able to exercise your hearts and senses, to know how to discern the good from the bad, the right from the left, reality from unreality.
* Fourth Epistle
My children, we are dwelling in our death, and staying in the house of the robber, and bound with the bonds of death. Now therefore, give not sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids, that you may offer yourselves a sacrifice to God in all holiness, which none can inherit without sanctification.