Monasticism Videos

In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines three sayings by Abba Poemen ("The Shepherd") of Egypt on the means by which the hardest heart can be softened by the Lord.

What has a man whose obedience once caused a barren stick to blossom forth a tree in the desert to tell us today about the life of virtue? Is it possible for man today to partake of all the virtues? In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Matthew examines two sayings of Fr. John the Short of Egypt on the accessibility of all the virtues through the foundation of the love of neighbor.

In this week’s broadcast, Fr. Dcn. Matthew offers a reflection on a selection of sayings of St John Chrysostom on the pastoral nature of fasting as an act of charity. In what sense does our fast minister to our neighbor?

An introduction to NorthumbriaCommunity.com from the founding members John, Linda and Andy.

St John of the Ladder, whom we normally read during Great Lent, is a Father who offers practical guidance to Christian life of every moment. In this week’s broadcast, Fr Dcn Matthew explores a series of passages from Step 1 of St John’s Ladder to Paradise, on the specific issue of the universal calling of the Christian life, coupled with the need for each person to seek out a suitable way of life for the spiritual struggle to be exercised.

What are we to make of the Genesis account of Cain and Abel? In this broadcast, Fr. Matthew examines a portion of St Cyprian of Carthage’s Treatise on the Lord’s Prayer that shows forth Abel as the first martyr, the example of true self-sacrifice. And it is a lesson with a practical aim: the quenching of anger and hatred, and the discovery of a life offered more wholly to God.

Among the greatest struggles in the Christian life are the "little things"—the day-to-day "bad habits" by which we continually fall, and which seem to trap us in our sin. Is there a way out? In this week’s episode, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines the Fathers on sin as habits, how these habits enslave us—and most importantly, how we can overcome our shackles and progress toward the Kingdom.

Can one call oneself a Christian without love? And what is the nature of the love we are called to show our neighbors? In this week’s episode, Fr Matthew examines four patristic passages on love, and asks the question: What is it about Christian love that makes it unique in the world?

The Genesis account of Eve being created from the rib of Adam has, throughout history, often been interpreted in negative ways. In this week’s broadcast, through a brief text by St Irenaeus of Lyons, Fr. Dcn. Matthew examines a patristic vision of this creation grounding the true intimacy and mutual responsibility of the human community, male and female as ‘helpers’ of one another in the work of salvation.

As A Word From the Holy Fathers resumes after a summer hiatus, we look again at the theme of forgiveness in the writings of the Fathers—with an eye particularly toward practical injunctions on forgiveness and the relationship of repentance, forgiveness, and redemption in quotations from a variety of patristic sources. Fr Matthew also introduces the Patristic Quotations Topical Index.

This is a multimedia presentation migr | An Introduction to A New Type of Monasticism by John Skinner. This presentation looks at the climate for a new monasticism, the architects of a new monasticism, icons of a new monasticism and migr a way for living. If you d like to follow this presentation with the accompanying then please go to our site at www.NewMonasticism.com

Hello and welcome to NewMonasticism.com. In this video John will offer you a brief introduction and welcome to our site www.NewMonasticism.com. Come and visit our site as we discuss what New Monasticism is, if it's for you, it's foundation and formation, and where it may be going.

Can living life in community help us draw closer to God? Come and see, says Karen Sloan, Presbyterian pastor and author of Flirting with Monasticism, a book in which she takes readers through her personal journey with ancient Christian traditions. If the Blessed Mother/monasticism and Presbyterian traditions don t seem like typical bedfellows, consider Karen s background. She grew up actively involved in a mega church, serving in campus ministries, with the primary teaching that there s one way to grow spiritually: Read Your Bible and Pray. Karen s not disputing the importance of read your Bible and pray but in her experience, there wasn t much help in learning how to do that. You were left to figure it out on your own-a sort of personal piety-and it was isolating and guilt-producing. Karen stumbled into practices that help her draw near to God through ancient traditions and common life with others. She s calling others to experience these traditions which offer resources for people on their spiritual journey-resources like mentors, practices in drawing near to God, and living in community where those around you call you to live holistically-spiritually, physically, and socially building sustainability. Karen s community is called Formation House. It s located in a Pittsburgh neighborhood sandwiched between affluence and need, and residents live together, serve together, play together, practice ancient traditions together with layers of mentors and staff to help along the way. For more information on Formation House or to apply for a one-year cycle lived in the community, visit www.formationhouse.org. Distributed by Tubemogul.

Frederica Matthewes-Green