Are there spiritual fathers in our time?

[Hekler]

Are there spiritual fathers in our time?
How do you get advantage of them? Do you meet them?
Can they give you direction in the life?
Can be keep what they are saying?

 

[jesuslover811]

Man I really want one. Yeah there are some at monastery's there might be more fathers at this time than any time in history.

 

[ArmyMatt]

yes to all questions

 

[All4Christ]

yes to all questions

Any thoughts on the second question? (How the OP goes about taking advantage of one)

 

[ArmyMatt]

Any thoughts on the second question? (How the OP goes about taking advantage of one)

I took that to mean advantage of their spiritual insight and experience.

 

[rusmeister]

Good luck finding one in my part of the world. A few people I know have one. Most don't. Even my priest has died, the new guy is a young fellow, doesn't know me, and I am on my own.

 

[Phronema]

Good luck finding one in my part of the world. A few people I know have one. Most don't. Even my priest has died, the new guy is a young fellow, doesn't know me, and I am on my own.

Are you able to travel to a monastery occasionally? I'd think there'd be quite a few there when compared to the US considering the size of your local autocephalous church.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Good luck finding one in my part of the world. A few people I know have one. Most don't. Even my priest has died, the new guy is a young fellow, doesn't know me, and I am on my own.

no monastery you can travel to?

 

[bmjackson]

I don't think there are many, or even any, if you use theosis as the requirement, and the father has gained control over all passions. I asked a couple of times, for fathers to guide me and got no reply. These were ones who admitted they had problems like the rest of us

Times are very dark

 

[ArmyMatt]

I don't think there are many, or even any, if you use theosis as the requirement, and the father has gained control over all passions. I asked a couple of times, for fathers to guide me and got no reply. These were ones who admitted they had problems like the rest of us

Times are very dark

as a spiritual father, usually they take few on unless they know you personally well.

 

[bmjackson]

as a spiritual father, usually they take few on unless they know you personally well.

I wouldn't want them to take me on anyway, the blind leading the blind as it were. In early times, you had to be in theosis to be a bishop. How far the mighty have fallen when l can only find Fr John Romanised who taught it and of course he is not with us.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I wouldn't want them to take me on anyway, the blind leading the blind as it were. In early times, you had to be in theosis to be a bishop. How far the mighty have fallen when l can only find Fr John Romanised who taught it and of course he is not with us.

actually, the most holy are the ones who see their failings. and you didn’t have to be in theosis to be a bishop, but you do need to be on that path.

and Fr John Romanides isn’t the only one who teaches/taught it.

 

[bmjackson]

actually, the most holy are the ones who see their failings. and you didn’t have to be in theosis to be a bishop, but you do need to be on that path.

and Fr John Romanides isn’t the only one who teaches/taught it.

Thank you Father, l know that it is no longer required nor has been for a long time.

The closer you get to Christ, agreed, you will see your sin more. But the whole point of union, is that the divine nature is imparted. One can fall into sin but to be perfect is expected.

I would very much like to know the names of those who teach it, and are at least illumined.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Thank you Father, l know that it is no longer required nor has been for a long time.

The closer you get to Christ, agreed, you will see your sin more. But the whole point of union, is that the divine nature is imparted. One can fall into sin but to be perfect is expected.

I would very much like to know the names of those who teach it, and are at least illumined.

well, it’s never been required.

Fr Zacharias of Essex is a still living one, and he is illumined. plus all of the superiors in Elder Ephraim’s monasteries.

 

[bmjackson]

well, it’s never been required.

Fr Zacharias of Essex is a still living one, and he is illumined.

Thank you but l have read different. It makes sense that it should be required of one in such a position of authority but Orthodoxy has fallen far.

I will contact him thanks.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Thank you but l have read different. It makes sense that it should be required of one in such a position of authority but Orthodoxy has fallen far.

I will contact him thanks.

where is the rule that all bishops must have attained theosis?

 

[bmjackson]

It would take some time to find it, tomorrow on my PC but l will try. Fr John might have said it. But to ask in reply, why not? It is the basis of Orthodoxy and the aim of man to be united with Christ so why have bishops and or theologians who have not reached it and therefore cannot help others? I would say it makes no sense not to insist. But of course if the true church have fallen so far that they are rare, then we will find them promoted.

 

[Phronema]

Thank you but l have read different. It makes sense that it should be required of one in such a position of authority but Orthodoxy has fallen far.

I will contact him thanks.

I think it's easy to romanticize the past, and think that it was a time of spiritual giants being common, but I'd counter that line of thinking with this.

If that were the case then why were laity, and other monks seeking out well known monks of their time many hundreds of years ago such as St. Anthony the Great, or St. Pachomius the Great, or St. John Climacus, etc if their local bishop was already living such a perfect spiritual life?

Ancient Faith Radio wrote on this a bit. I'll see if I can find the blog when I get home, but we can't all be spiritual children of St. Paisios, or St. Porphyrios, etc.

 

[bmjackson]

I think that one answer could be that the declension had started early, and already the apostle Paul was having to counteract it. But most definitely, a theologian should be in theosis.

 

[bmjackson]

I see that Fr Zacharias has videos which l am listening to so will see where he stands.