Know Your Faith

Series IV:

The Fathers of the Church

Classes are held mainly on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at Unwind Coffee Shop in the Ithaca Mall on Triphammer Rd. We meet at 7 PM. Other dates are noted below due to such things as Theophany, Clean Week and Holy Week. The selected tests are available as a hand out at the church at any time, as well as online.

Syllabus for the Course        Selected Readings

APOSTOLIC AND ANTE-NICENE FATHERS

September 15:  Introduction: Who are the Fathers?  Ss Ignatius of Antioch and Clement of Rome. The Martyrdom of Polycarp.  Slideshow Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

September 22: Justin Martyr Read: Excerpts from the Dialog with Trypho, pp 8-10.  Slideshow Presentation.  Lecture Notes. 

October 6: Origen and Tertullian Read: Excerpts from the Philocalia of Origen, pp 11-12. Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

NICENE FATHERS

October 20: Historians: Eusebius, Socrates and Bede Read: Excerpts from the Ecclesiastical History 13-21.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.  Map of Bede's England.

November 3: Augustine Read: Excerpts from The Confessions, pp 22-23.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

Bibliography for all classes thus far.

November 17: Pseudo-Dionysius Read: Excerpt from The Mystical Theology, pp 28-34.  Lecture from His Grace, Bp Alexander of Toledo and the Bulgarian Diocese.

December 1: Athanasius Read: Excerpts from Expositio Fidei, pp 24-27.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

December 15: Maximus the Confessor Read: Excerpts from the 400 Chapters on Love, pp 35-36.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

THREE HOLY HIERARCHS

January 12: St John Chrysostom Read: Homily III on Philemon, pp 37-42. Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

January 26: St Gregory the Theologian Read: Oration 5, on the Holy Spirit. Sections 10-14, pp 43-45. Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.  Life of St Gregory.

February 2: St Basil the Great Read: Two letters of St Basil, pp 46-54. Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

DESERT FATHERS

February 16: St Anthony the Great Read: Excerpts from Athanasius’ Life of St Anthony, pp 55-56. Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

March 8: Sayings of the Desert Fathers Read: Selections from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers, pp 57-60.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

SYRIAC FATHERS

March 29: St Ephraim the Syrian Read: On Prayer, pp 61-62.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

April 5: St Isaac of Nineveh Read: Mystical Treatise and Christmas Sermon,p 63.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

LATER FATHERS

April 19: St Symeon the New Theologian Read: The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer, pp 64-69.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

May 10: St Gregory Palamas Read: Selected Quotes, pp 70-71.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

May 24: St Nicholas Cabasilas Read: Excerpts from Interpretation of the Divine Liturgy, pp 72-73.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

MODERN FATHERS

June 14: St Tikhon of Moscow Read: The 1907 Mayfield Church Council, pp 74-80.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.

June 21: St Nikolia of Zicha Read: From Prayers by the Lake, pp 81-83.  Slide Show Presentation.  Lecture Notes.