The decisive experience of glorification shatters the divisive dualisms of cause and effect, effort and achievement, opening prevenient grace to unwavering glory. The experience of glorification is inconceivable to those who do not know wisdom, so remains hidden until, by grace, glory breaks through and God’s way of glorifying God is revealed. Uncreated light purifies and enlightens the heart so that uncreated… Read more »
In an early second century Apocalypse, the Ascension of Isaiah, we discover that Christian prophecy was alive and well despite its exclusion from mainstream Christian circles, proving that visionary ascent was not neglected in the wilderness, because wisdom, as it ascended through seven heavens, beheld the glory of the throne in the midst of all seven of them. Glory lay at the heart… Read more »
Wisdom infuses the heart with transfiguring glory, fusing them in a union without confusion in the Holy of Holies. The simplicity of this union centres where stillness dwells, in the union of the Father with the Son, a union which the Spirit discerns and shares with all, opening it to those who hallow and glorify the Name. Wonder completes the lesser… Read more »
Nobody can visually perceive God objectively in the world but theoria turns and sees the glory of God’s reign, initiating seers into the mysteries of contemplative vision by awakening the eye of the heart. For Hesychast saints, theoria is the indispensable and quintessential opening, beyond the visible heavens, into the invisible mysteries of wisdom and glory, the revelation of God’s Name that… Read more »
In his Conversation with Nikolay Motovilov, c1830-31, Saint Seraphim of Sarov said that the true aim of Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God, and means to this end are good only if they are done for Christ’s sake and bring us the grace and fruits of the Holy Spirit. It is the grace of the Holy… Read more »
Wisdom makes all things new, always beginning again anew; indeed, the glory of wisdom’s grace is always doing something new, beginning anew, trustworthy and true, creating new heavens and a new earth (Rev 21:5; Isaiah 43:19 & 66:17). This is who Christ is, wisdom renewing creation in glory, sending the Spirit to impart wisdom, restoring the abundant completeness of ineffable… Read more »
Patristic Orthodoxy centres on Christ’s divine humanity as the living heart of human redemption and deification. Saints Irenaeus, Athanasius, Gregory Nazianzus and Gregory Nyssa all bear witness that God became human so that humanity may be deified. For Patristic wisdom, Christ’s birth, life, transmission of gospel wisdom, death, resurrection, ascension and glorification, together save and deify humanity, not the Cross of… Read more »
Uncreated light is not like created lights that come and go, nor is it the product of conditioned ways and means, but like uncreated grace, enlightens all who turn and see God’s uncreated presence in the midst. Uncreated awareness shines with the uncreated light of uncreated presence, beyond conditioned thoughts and oblivious perception, quieting compulsive agitation in pure stillness. Inherently ineffable,… Read more »
Christ reveals wisdom’s quintessential way, restoring the eternal life of glory in Aramaic, Syriac Orthodoxy, travelling along the Silk Road from Antioch to Sufiism’s remembrance of God in Asia, from Edessa to wisdom’s radiant, rainbow completeness in Tibet and from Nisibis to wisdom’s hidden Golden Flower of ancient Taoism in China, bearing witness to the Gospel that Mar Thomas planted… Read more »
Listening to the Spirit’s witness to wisdom, she reminds us: The Lord of glory was heard to say, ‘Why callest thou me good? None is good save one, that is, God alone (Luke 18:19). In a similar way, perhaps, the Lady of glory may be heard to say: Why do you call me Great Lady, Lady Wisdom, Lady of the Temple, there is… Read more »