Autobiographical Elements in Sophrony’s Letters

CONTENTS OF EPISODE: Foreword by the Ecumenical Patriarch to the Greek Edition Preface by the Author to the Greek Edition Introduction Part 1 ‘Spiritual Autobiography’ 1. The Charismatic Elder Sophrony 1. The Theology of Elder Sophrony a) The Theological Formation of Elder Sophrony Sakharov b) A Presentation of the Theology of Archimandrite Sophrony 2. ‘Spiritual Autobiography’ 1. The Teaching of the Church as the Fruit of Experience 2. Marvellous Works a) Early Experience b) ‘Struggling with God - Mindfulness of Death’ c) ‘Fall’ d) ‘Returning to Christ’ – “I AM THAT I AM” e) ‘Mourning’ f) ‘Reaching up to God’ g) ‘Visions of the Uncreated Light’ h) The Coming of the Uncreated Light and Its Concealment i) Sermon on the Uncreated Light j) ‘Living Confirmation’ – Saint Silouan 3. Conclusion 3. Struggle to Know God 1. Meeting and Conversation with David Balfour 2. Reflections on the Book Struggle to Know God a) The Basis of the Book Saint Silouan the Athonite b) Two Levels of the Spiritual Life c) Self-emptying Love d) The Experienced Spiritual Guide e) Hesychastic and Liturgical Life f) ‘Triple Alliance’ g) Conversion of Non-Orthodox to Orthodoxy h) The Orthodox Church and other Organisations and Confessions i) Self-emptying Love after the ‘Rift’ and the Fall j) Miraculous Intervention and Repentance k) General Impression l) Testimony 3. Autobiographical Elements a) Reason for the Letters b) The Orthodox Church c) Theophany – Divine Grace d) Godforsakenness e) Spiritual Struggle f) Temptations g) Orthodox Monasticism h) Spiritual Guidance i) Saint Silouan