Synaxis Study Group: Wisdom of the Desert Fathers

Friday, April 1, 2011

Wisdom of the Desert Fathers

Abba Sisoes asked Abba Or, “Give me a word,” and he said to him, “Do you trust me?” He replied that he did. Then he said to him, “Go, and what you have seen me do, do also.” Abba Sisoes said to him, “Father, what have I seen you do?” The old man said, “In my own opinion, I put myself below all men.”

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WELCOME TO SYNAXIS!

Synaxis is a unique Study group that began at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology.

The Heart of Synaxis is that-
"The great mystery of the Incarnation remains a mystery eternally. Not only is what is not seen of it greater than that which has been revealed- for it is revealed merely to the extent that those saved by it can grasp it- but also even what is revealed still remains entirely hidden and by no means in known as it really is. Let us contemplate with faith the mystery of the incarnation and in all simplicity let us simply praise Him who in His great generosity became man for us."

-Saint Maximos the Confessor

"Thus to be and to appear as one body formed of different members is really worthy of Christ Himself our true head… It is He who encloses in Himself all beings by His unique, simple, and infinitely wise power of His goodness. As the center of straight lines that radiate from Him He does not allow by His unique, simple, and single cause and power that the principles of beings be disjoined at the periphery but rather He circumscribes their extension in a circle and brings back to Himself the distinctive elements of beings which He Himself brought into existence." Mystagogy of Saint Maximos

Synaxis Manifesto

4 Pillars of Synaxis
1) We gather because the Spirit of God brings the Word of God to us.
2) We gather because we are authentically human when in relationship with each other.
3) We gather to discuss the words of the Holy Fathers and Mothers because our relationship with them transcends time, space, and death itself.
4) We gather to celebrate the greatest gift that God has given us- the Other: God, neighbor, and our ancestors.

4 Canons of Synaxis
1) Synaxis is for everyone.
2) Synaxis has the text as teacher and the group as moderator.
3) Synaxis reads texts that are Orthodox Christian Classics which are any text that is written by an Orthodox Christian and is both loved by the Church and doctrinally formative.
4) Synaxis is organized by its elder members whose sole responsibility is to arrange a convenient time and place and to select and distribute the readings.

4 Foundations of Synaxis
1) Works of the Apostolic Fathers and Apologists (Particularly St. Iraneaos’ Against Heresies for its dogmatic, anthropological, and soterlogical significance).
2) The Works of St. Athanasios (Particularly On the Incarnation and the Life of St. Antony).
3) The Works of the Cappadocians (Particularly the Orations of the Theologian which were considered by the Church as Second Scriptures, the Letters of St. Basil together with his defense of the Holy Spirit, and St. Gregory Nyssa’s Catechism).
4) St. Maximos the Confessor.

Thy Kingdom Come...

The Messiah, this King, this new David, Himself, the expected Royalty, came and founded His kingdom, the Church, inaugurating it on the day of Pentecost through the descent of the Holy Spirit… At that moment the Church was born, the new Israel of God, “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people”, a people dedicated to God. The event of Pentecost is not limited in time, however, but is an eschatological experience of the believer, daily living the life of Christ in the Church. So when we speak of the Church, we refer to an eschatological event, a permanent Pentecost.
-Archimandrite Aimilianos