Christian wisdom has long been distanced by centuries of dualistic thinking that imposed separation on its piercing insight, cancelling glorification. But genuine enlightenment was never totally absent, because Christ lives at the heart of all Christian mysteries, restoring glorification. Conventional clericalism imposed separation because it sought to control large numbers of passive followers, not because Christian wisdom is inherently dualistic. Both the Lord’s Prayer and the Jesus Prayer express the glory of grace, opening purifying illumination into glorification, as do the mysteries of Baptism, Chrismation and the Holy Eucharist. Although separation still rules much of Christian religion, Christian wisdom extinguishes delusions of separation by healing division, curing confusion. Glorified saints impart prophecy to awaken prayer, illumining the heart, dissolving separation, transmitting glorification.
Glorification was always the living heart of Holy Orthodoxy, renewing Christian tradition in the light of wisdom, restoring glorification of God, co-inciding with glorification by God. When Constantine adopted Christianity as the religion of imperial Rome, imperial clericalism took control of its mysteries, but glorification inspired the heart of mystical theology, unveiling the heart of those mysteries. Byzantium claimed to be the second Rome and Moscow the third, but desert wisdom continued to practice glorification, unseating the ruling powers of worldly imperialism. When Holy Orthodoxy is tempted to submit to ruling powers, holy martyrs and saints bear witness to glorification. Desert wisdom abides in radical glorification, renewing Holy Orthodoxy among elders and saints by imparting uncreated wisdom from within.
Whenever glorification was extinguished, Holy Orthodoxy would lose access to its living heart, collapsing back into corrupting imperialism, but desert wisdom bore witness to its true vocation, which is wisdom’s unconditional vision of glory’s unconditioned grace. Presence is always ever-present NOW, turning awareness round into wisdom, beholding glory NOW. Accessing timeless presence of glory, NOW, is right-glorification, which is the living way of Holy Orthodoxy, liberating it from ruling powers. Separation cannot intrude into genuine glorification or shatter wisdom’s awareness of timeless, glorious presence. When dictatorial kleptocracy arises, laying claim to orthodoxy, inverting the Gospel of grace into ideology, holy martyrs bear witness to grace in love, decisively overthrowing satanic parodies. Glorification reveals power of presence awakening wisdom, awakening power of wisdom awakening glory, renewing unconditioned illumination through unconditional glorification.