Saint Symeon

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Saint Symeon
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The Mystic of Fire and Light

• Symeon considered mysticism to be the sign of an
  authentic Christian life.

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Hagia Eirene was built by Constantine

• In the East there was a great emphasis on Jesus
  as the light of the world.

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Mysticism and Rationalism

• Apophatic theology focuses on remembering that
  whatever we say about God is inadequate.

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Union with God

• While union with God is the goal in East and
  West, union as divinization is emphasized in the
  Orthodox Church.

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The Holy Trinity

• Jesus makes the descent, God reaching down to
  humans, while the Holy Spirit makes possible the
  ascent, humans reaching up to God.

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Saint Symeon (949-1022)

• A mystic pushes the lines of acceptable dogma
  because it is so difficult to use words to
  describe a living experience.

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Symeons Openness

• By our teaching we encourage you too to strive
  that you may have a part in Gods gifts and
  enjoy them, the gifts of which we, though
  unworthy, have been partakers through Gods
  unutterable goodness.

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The Gift of Tears

• Without tears our dried heart could never be
  softened, nor our soul acquire spiritual
  humility.

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Summary

• Spiritual practice has meaning only in light of
  the goal the divinization of the individual
  Christian into a loving child of God.